Tim Merlier, Jasper Stuyven and Dylan van Baarle will all be in action for The Wolfpack this week.
The big news of this year’s Belgium Tour is that it won’t feature an individual time trial. The stage which has been so many times decisive in recent years is absent at this 95th edition, which gets underway on Wednesday from Scherpenheuvel-Zichem and concludes in Hoeilaart, five days later and after more than 900 kilometers.
Once again, there will be two clear chances for the sprinters, but the general classification should be an affair between the puncheurs and Classics specialists, who’ll battle over this demanding course comprising cobbled sectors and more than 70 ranked climbs, most of which are short but feature steep gradients. On top of that, the race brings back the famous Golden Kilometer, whose bonus seconds could be crucial in the way the general classification will look on Sunday.
Held for the first time in 1908, the year before the Giro d’Italia was created, the Belgium Tour has been won by our team a total of ten times, making Soudal Quick-Step the most successful squad at the event in modern times. The Wolfpack lines up at the start of this edition with the clear aim of adding to its impressive tally of stage victories, with a roster built around Tim Merlier. One of the fastest riders in the peloton, the Belgian will be joined by Ayco Bastiaens, Casper Pedersen, Paris-Roubaix top three finisher Jasper Stuyven, Dylan Van Baarle, Fabio Van den Bossche, and Bert van Lerberghe.
“There will be a couple of opportunities for the sprinters, and Tim - who has won numerous times here and can rely on a strong lead-out - is keen to show what he is capable of after last Sunday’s disappointment in Copenhagen.”
For the general classification we’ll have Jasper and Dylan.
“They can do something on this parcours, where the Golden Kilometer seconds are sure to play a big role. There will be chances for us, and with this team, we are confident we can do some nice things”, said sports director Niki Terpstra.
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