The Soudal-Quick Step formation has selected a very “experienced” team made up of climbers and rollers but no sprinters to surround the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, favorite for the Tour of Italy which begins on Saturday.
It will therefore be all for the general for the Belgian team, which will not field either the Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen or the Belgian Tim Merlier, yet two of the best sprinters in the peloton.
To try to win his second grand tour after his success in the Vuelta last September, the world champion will be able to count on his compatriots Louis Vervaeke, Ilan Van Wilder and Pieter Serry in the mountains, as well as the Czech Jan Hirt, sixth last year. past the Giro.
On the plain, the Italian Mattia Cattaneo and the Czech Josef Cerny, who has just won the prologue of the Tour de Romandie, will be the teammates of the recent winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Italian Davide Ballerini will be useful when it is necessary to rub to place his leader in safety in the sprint finishes. In total, the eight riders of the Soudal formation have competed in 47 major laps.
“My convincing results in the UAE Tour (1st), in the Tour of Catalonia (2nd) and in Liège show that I am in good shape. It is therefore quite logical that I am considered one of the two favorites (with the Slovenian Primoz Roglic, editor’s note), even the favorite. I think between Primoz and me, it’s 50-50,” said Evenepoel. “I will be able to count on a very solid team. We are all motivated and prepared,” he continued.
