Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Thread

[steffr222]

I think a rider like Søren Kragh Andersen, which is out of contract at the end of the year, would be the perfect rider for the QuickStep classics team to be there with Asgreen after the big selections.
Or Stuyven, which also is out of contract next year.

So is Mads Pedersen. I would love to see him riding for QuickStep, but tbh I can‘t see him not extending his contract with Trek

 

[Boes]

I think a rider like Søren Kragh Andersen, which is out of contract at the end of the year, would be the perfect rider for the QuickStep classics team to be there with Asgreen after the big selections.
Or Stuyven, which also is out of contract next year.

Tim Merlier perhaps as a replacement for Cavendish?

 

[AlfaLum]

So is Mads Pedersen. I would love to see him riding for QuickStep, but tbh I can‘t see him not extending his contract with Trek

Mads Pedersen would be the best addition to Quickstep that I can imagine. I think he can step it up a notch there, he can act as a second sprinter and as a leader for the classics. It could work perfectly.

For the Danish fans here. In the past I’ve read some things about the relationship between guys like Asgreen/Pedersen/SKA etc. I think it was said that some of those relations where very friendly, but others were not. Anybody able to shed some light on which combinations could work from a teamwork point of view?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

If Quickstep are looking to improve the classics team. They have a number of option:

-Merlier
-Mads Pedersein
-Alexander Kristoff
-Jasper Stujven
-Matter Trentin
-Dylan Teuns
-Luka Mezgec
-Dylan Van baarle
-Jasper Philipsen
-Mike Teunissen
-SKA
-Anthony Turgis (!!!)
-Max Walschied

 

[MartinGT]

I agree that Stybar is getting older and Lampaert is just in poor form. However the biggest difference for Quickstep in my opinion is that a bigger Alphawolf has arisen this year.

In previous years there were no teams that could really hurt Quickstep as a squad. Quickstep had the team to decide when the first punches were being thrown and as a result they could get there lesser riders over the top with the front group. Now Jumbo is the team that decides when the first punches are thrown. In the run-up to the hills Jumbo is capable of maintaining a higher pace than Quickstep.

So instead of having guys like Senechal, Stybar, Lampaert in the first spots when going up the tougher climbs those guys are now in 10th-20th spot, because guys like Laporte and Benoot have switched places with them. And as a result the Quickstep riders (with the exception of Asgreen, because he is just a level above the others) don't make the cut at the points where it matters most.

This is it really I think. They need to have a look for next season and beyond. Too late now IMO to pull it around.

 

[RedheadDane]

For the Danish fans here. In the past I’ve read some things about the relationship between guys like Asgreen/Pedersen/SKA etc. I think it was said that some of those relations where very friendly, but others were not. Anybody able to shed some light on which combinations could work from a teamwork point of view?

I don't think there are any Demare-Bouhanni level rivalries between the Danes. Definitely can't think of anyone that just can't be on the same team.

 

[tobydawq]

I don't think there are any Demare-Bouhanni level rivalries between the Danes. Definitely can't think of anyone that just can't be on the same team.

Jesper Worre and Michael Rasmussen.

 

[RedheadDane]

Jesper Worre and Michael Rasmussen.

I think he meant current riders.

 

[Mayomaniac]

If Quickstep are looking to improve the classics team. They have a number of option:

-Merlier
-Mads Pedersein
-Alexander Kristoff
-Jasper Stujven
-Matter Trentin
-Dylan Teuns
-Luka Mezgec
-Dylan Van baarle
-Jasper Philipsen
-Mike Teunissen
-SKA
-Anthony Turgis (!!!)
-Max Walschied

Not going after Walscheid after last season was a bit of a surprise for me. There is the incident with Senechal when the later punched him for no real reason after a race and tried to act like he did the right thing, but that can't be it.
Maybe someone like Jonathan Milan could also be an addition for their classics team, a big track guy/tter with a pretty good sprint.
I had high hopes for Steimle, but until now he hasn't lived up to the expectations.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

To me, it's surprising that neither Cavagna nor Cerny even get a look for these squads given how much of an attacking threat they can be as rouleurs in stage races

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

To me, it's surprising that neither Cavagna nor Cerny even get a look for these squads given how much of an attacking threat they can be as rouleurs in stage races

Cerny rode Omloop and Samyn. Last year he rode some smaller spring classics like Bredene Koksjide and Nokere. I assume they have decided he is not a better option based on these races.

Cavagna Maybe doesnt like these kind of races, seems like hes never really tried them.

 

[SafeBet]

Isn't Cavagna kinda bad in bike handling / positioning?
I guess you could ask him to get in the early break but that's about it.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

To me, it's surprising that neither Cavagna nor Cerny even get a look for these squads given how much of an attacking threat they can be as rouleurs in stage races

I thought Cerny would have been a good deputy for Big Tim but it seems Bert Van Lerberghe is doing that role at RVV.
Having said that I just looked up his race record and Cerny has hardly touched cobbles during his career.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Cerny rode Omloop and Samyn. Last year he rode some smaller spring classics like Bredene Koksjide and Nokere. I assume they have decided he is not a better option based on these races.

Cavagna Maybe doesnt like these kind of races, seems like hes never really tried them.

Cavagna bike handling is the worst in the peloton. He is a time trialist and breakaway guy with 0 bike handling skills.

Cerny I don't know. He is strong rouleur and TT guy but I'm not sure whether it's worth trying to make him a classics guy

 

[hayneplane]

I am surprised more people have not mentioned the absence from the cobbles this year of Alaphillipe who took to it like a duck to water and did far better than anyone expected.

Asgreen is the only Stepper who looks a threat to win at the moment and his edge on MVDP and WVA was always the team numbers game but being without that currently he needs to be as strong or stronger than the top guys and I don’t think he is quite there.

 

[topcat]

I am surprised more people have not mentioned the absence from the cobbles this year of Alaphillipe who took to it like a duck to water and did far better than anyone expected.

Asgreen is the only Stepper who looks a threat to win at the moment and his edge on MVDP and WVA was always the team numbers game but being without that currently he needs to be as strong or stronger than the top guys and I don’t think he is quite there.

Alaphillipe is going all in for Liege (where Remco will ruin it for him).

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Alaphillipe is going all in for Liege (where Remco will ruin it for him).

Remco won't do anything at Liege. Masnada should be lieutenant to Alaphilippe (or the other round)

 

[Mayomaniac]

Remco won't do anything at Liege. Masnada should be lieutenant to Alaphilippe (or the other round)

Remco is an interesting card to play, have him attack before the last climb or after it if he makes the final selection alongside Ala.
As long as they don't try to make the hard as possible for him and ruin Ala's legs for the final it's only good. Bagioli is another card to play for the Ardennes team.

 

[hayneplane]

Alaphillipe is going all in for Liege (where Remco will ruin it for him).

I know that but I think it is a big factor in their underwhelming cobbles campaign so far

 

[will-10]

Still the last team I'd write off. There's a lot of illness about and Roubaix is still three weeks away, who knows what shape the QS and Jumbo guys will be in by then.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Remco won't do anything at Liege. Masnada should be lieutenant to Alaphilippe (or the other round)

Nah, that should be James Knox.

On a serious note though, has he been ill?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Nah, that should be James Knox.

On a serious note though, has he been ill?

Knox had a knee injury over the winter and was recovering from that. He started his season at the coppi e bartali last week

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Knox had a knee injury over the winter and was recovering from that. He started his season at the coppi e bartali last week

Cheers, thought something was up. I noticed he had Froome-ish levels at Coppe e Bartoli.

 

[RedheadDane]

Cheers, thought something was up. I noticed he had Froome-ish levels at Coppe e Bartoli.

Not too many years ago, that would have been a good thing...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Asgreen, Ballerini, Lampaert... have all been sick and haven't been 100% since. Declerq has been out with a heart condition and he is a vital part of the team, basically doing a three man job until the finale starts. Alaphilippe isn't doing cobbles this year and Stybar is getting old. Jumbo has bought two guys to support Van Aert who both would be classics leader at any other team.

Like i said in other threads, considering they had Evenepoel focus on short efforts, which basically makes it useless to send him to TA or Itzulia for GC, i feel they could have sent him to some of these classics instead. He's shown at BBT, the WCC and some other races that he copes well with these climbs, the distance and cobbles.