Our squad is ready for the 27th World Tour race of the season.
The most successful sprinter of the season, Tim Merlier will pin on a number for the first time since the Belgian Nationals, having completed an altitude training camp in Val di Fassa in the meantime with many of his teammates. The 31-year-old, who won a staggering twelve races in 2024 – including three Giro d’Italia stages – will lead Soudal Quick-Step at the Tour de Pologne (12-18 August), an event where last year he scored two victories.
Ayco Bastiaens, Paul Magnier – who has had an impressive first part of the season, showing his potential in numerous bunch sprints – Pepijn Reinderink, Martin Svrcek, Bert Van Lerberghe and Warre Vangheluwe will join Merlier for the World Tour race that promises to give the fast men three opportunities to shine, on the fourth, fifth and seventh stage.
The general classification, however, will be an affair between the climbers, who’ll have the uphill finishes of Karpacz, Duzniki-Zdroj and Bukovina Resort – together with the demanding stage 2 individual time trial – to make the difference and fight for the yellow jersey of this 81st Tour de Pologne.
“We have a strong squad for Poland. It’s obvious we won’t be going for the GC, but for stage wins instead, and we are confident in our chances of getting at least a victory with Tim. He comes here from a nice altitude camp, where he was present with many of his teammates, and all the boys are motivated to get the maximum out of this race”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Klaas Lodewyck ahead of the event where our team has won a total of 16 stages at the previous participations.
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