Tom Steels

Sports Directors & Trainers

Sports Director & Trainer

Biography of Tom

Two-time Gent-Wevelgem winner, four-time Belgian Champion (an all-time record), winner of nine Tour de France stages and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victor. These are just a few examples of why Tom can provide plenty of expertise on how to win races, be it in Classics or Grand Tours.

“If you’ve done something for 15 years, you know a big part of it”, Steels said. “Of course, the sport evolves over time, but we can teach riders a lot on tactical skills and although races can change, they are still very similar. The more you learned year-by-year, the more you can give them a head start based on what you experience. You can protect them or guide them in a good direction, even if that means you don’t know everything with the sport these days. “

Tom, known as a sports director for his dedicated and methodical preparation before races with things like reconnaissance, is keen on stressing out the excellent staff of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, that is sometimes underestimated in terms of its value with the riders. “Not just the sports directors, but also the soigneurs who have a lot of contact with the riders, the masseurs, and the mechanics, who have to work with bikes always under pressure. They are all doing a fantastic job and developing a strong working relationship which at the end of the day really makes the difference.”