Soudal-Quickstep have seen their reign within the Spring Classics fade lately with the rise of Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogačar and their concentrate on constructing a workforce behind Remco Evenepoel’s Grand Tour ambitions. However veteran Yves Lampaert says the state of affairs will not be a catastrophe.
In 2021, Quickstep received the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (Davide Ballerini), Brugge-De Panne (Sam Bennett), E3 Saxo Traditional (Kasper Asgreen), Tour of Flanders (Kasper Asgreen), and La Flèche Wallonne (Julian Alaphilippe).
Since Evenepoel took up one-day racing in 2022, he is received Liège-Bastogne-Liège twice, and Tim Merlier has received Nokere Koerse in 2023 and this 12 months, however the workforce have in any other case struggled within the Spring Classics.
Talking on the Belgian speak present Vive le vélo, Lampaert admitted the workforce has ceded management in what was once their area. “You could have guys like Van der Poel, Van Aert or Pedersen who’re superior. And we can not make our mark,” Lampaert stated.
“We now not dictate the race like we used to. That is not enjoyable. However ultimately: in Gent-Wevelgem there have been two males in entrance and behind them was a gaggle of about 40 riders, of which there have been 5 of us. In order that was how not disastrous it was.
“However it’s true that we now not determine what occurs within the race like we used to. That’s troublesome to simply accept in the intervening time.”
The adjustments have are available in each targets and recruiting, with Patrick Lefevere letting go of longtime Classics stalwarts like Ballerini, Florian Sénéchal, and Tim Declercq over the previous two years. A dozen veteran riders left the workforce by way of switch or retirement, and Lampaert says the incoming riders are younger and wish time to develop.
“You could have younger guys like Paul Magnier, Luke Lamperti or William Junior Lecerf who’re doing nice. In Gent-Wevelgem, Gil Gelders additionally rode within the closing as a first-year skilled. I feel it nonetheless wants a while to let these guys flourish,” Lampaert stated.
The workforce can even take coronary heart in outcomes like Evenepoel’s general win within the Volta ao Algarve and second place in Paris-Good this 12 months and his stage wins within the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España, along with his Vuelta general victory in 2022.
“In different areas, issues are going very properly,” Lampaert stated. “Mikel Landa [who joined the team this year] completed second within the Volta a Catalunya and Remco Evenepoel is phenomenal.”
The 32-year-old Lampaert is a two-time winner of Dwars door Vlaanderen – which he might be racing once more tomorrow – and a podium finisher in Paris-Roubaix in 2019. His most up-to-date Classics outcome was a podium in De Panne final 12 months, and he confirmed himself within the assaults late within the Bredene Koksijde Traditional.
Lampaert is hoping to indicate the workforce’s colors within the upcoming Classics.
“After all, I might additionally like to indicate myself once more. That might be very troublesome within the Tour of Flanders,” he stated. “That has turn into a phenomenally troublesome race and I do not know if we have now the ability for that. For me, that might be troublesome. However I hope to be there in Paris-Roubaix.”
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