Soudal Quick-Step to the Tour of Britain

Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel will team up for our squad’s first stage race of September.

One of the most successful teams in the modern history of the Tour of Britain, with 23 stage victories and two overall wins, Soudal Quick-Step returns at the start of the race, which this year consists of six stages, between 3-8 September. The route puts on the table plenty of hard climbs – especially in the first three days – whose steep gradients will shape the general classification of this 20th edition.

Our six-man squad will be spearheaded by Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel. The two-time World Champion came out on top of the general classification at the 2018 edition and will return at the start for the first time since 2021, when he concluded third overall, just two weeks before powering to a second consecutive rainbow jersey. On the other hand, the double Olympic Champion is slated to make his Tour of Britain debut, in what will be his first outing since taking gold in Paris.

“I am looking forward to returning to racing at the Tour of Britain, after my post-Olympics break. My last period of racing was very special for me and it was great that I could recharge a little afterwards, but it’s time to pin on a number again as I look forward to the big races of this autumn. It is especially nice that I can start in Scotland, where I have the memories of winning the Worlds ITT race last summer”, Remco said ahead of traveling to the race.

The duo will be joined by neo-pro Gil Gelders, who recently finished top ten at the Deutschland Tour, Bretagne Classic runner-up and GiroNextGen points jersey winner Paul Magnier, Gianni Moscon and Martin Svrcek.

“We have a strong line-up for this race, which we are happy to do again. The selection will be made in the first three days, when we’ll see what Julian and Remco can do on that hilly terrain. Then, in the next three stages, we should have a bunch sprint, so we’ll support Paul, who comes here after an excellent result in Plouay. Bottom line, we are really looking forward to a week of great racing”, said sports director Klaas Lodewyck.

Photo credit: ©Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno / Getty Images

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