A total of 27 riders will be in action this week in eight different countries.
It’s one of the best and most exciting weeks of the whole year, the week the national titles will take place, and Soudal Quick-Step has a long tradition in these events. In the past 23 years, our team has won a total of 73 gold medals, the most recent of which came last season, in the time trial races of Belgium, Germany and Great Britain.
This week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 27 of our riders (including two Devo ones) will pin on a number for the various races being held across Europe, and sports director Tom Steels is confident in their chances of adding to The Wolfpack’s remarkable tally: “In Belgium we have good chances to get medals in both events: the ITT, which has an atypical and technical course with narrow roads, but also the road race, where we go with a really strong team. In France, Paul and Valentin are very motivated, but it won’t be easy on that demanding course against two teams who come with a lot of riders at the start.”
“Ethan is one of the ITT specialists, so let’s see what he can do in Great Britain, where he has the qualities to get a good result also in the road race. Italy puts on the table an interesting route, where different scenarios are possible and we have several cards there. We are confident also in the other guys, like Dylan in the Netherlands time trial, Max who has the legs to fight for a podium in both races in Germany, but also Casper - who always does well and is strong in this type of race - and Martin, who has shown some really nice things in France a couple of weeks ago and is incredibly motivated for this weekend.”
Belgium
ITT (26 June)
Etikhove - Etikhove (41.3km): Yves Lampaert, Ilan Van Wilder, Louis Vervaeke.
RR (28 June)
Antwerpen - Brasschaat (236.7km): Ayco Bastiaens, Steff Cras, Cériel Desal, Gil Gelders, Yves Lampaert, Tim Merlier, Jasper Stuyven, Fabio Van den Bossche, Dries Van Gestel, Bert Van Lerberghe, Stan Van Tricht, Ilan Van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant, Jonathan Vervenne.
Denmark
RR (28 June)
Herning - Herning (218.6km): Casper Pedersen.
France
RR (28 June)
La Tour-du-Pin - La Tour-du-Pin (241.7km): Paul Magnier, Valentin Paret-Peintre.
Germany
ITT (26 June)
Streufdorf - Streufdorf (40.1km): Maximilian Schachmann.
RR (28 June)
Bad Liebenstein - Bad Liebenstein (191.2km): Maximilian Schachmann.
Great Britain
ITT (25 June)
Lampeter - Lampeter (38.3km): Ethan Hayter.
RR (28 June)
Aberystwyth - Aberystwyth (187.3km): Ethan Hayter.
Italy
RR (27 June)
Asti - Cuneo (232.8km): Alberto Dainese, Gianmarco Garofoli, Andrea Raccagni, Filippo Zana.
Netherlands
ITT (24 June)
Laren - Laren (35.8km): Dylan van Baarle.
RR (28 June)
Nijmegen - Nijmegen-Kwakkenberg (160.2km): Pascal Eenkhoorn, Pepijn Reinderink, Dylan van Baarle.
Slovakia
ITT (25 June)
Unicov - Unicov (48.1km): Martin Svrcek.
RR (28 June)
Jesenik - Jesenik (209.3km): Martin Svrcek.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
