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Soudal - Quick Step Thread

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Salvarani

Oct 15, 2017
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dazaau said:
They have good domestiques. But no leader. They are the best GC support team after Jumbo. And Remco seems the type of rider who would really benefit from a sky style train
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They got a bunch of riders that can lead in stage-races.

Carapaz went to Ineos, after winning the Giro. He couldnt beat Rog, Pog or Vinge.

Thomas... he has not been able to beat the above three the last few years. He has been best of the rest.

Remco? He beat the Ineos team in the Vuelta last year containing Carapaz, Van Baarle, TGH, EH, Plapp, C. Rodriguez, Sivakov and B. Turner.

It is not solely down to having a "great" team. It is no guarantees.

If I were Remco, I would stay at Soudal and see what happens. Take my chances next year and see how it goes. He is the face of that team and undisputable leader. For the bigger one-day races and the GTs. I would take pride in that and roll with the team, unless they take me for granted or dont back me. They should still be given the benefit of the doubt, right now.
 
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Berflamand

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Salvarani said:
I think those calling for Ineos has no patience or jumping on the bandwagon. I am not too sure it will automatically work.

Soudal dont need the "perfect" team for the Tour next year, since other teams will be stronger no matter what you do in the transfer market this year.

What they probably need is to off-load some of their guys in their classics squad, where many have out-going contracts. Many of them probably wont get renewed. I would be surprised.

Merlier can still do a job next year in the minor classics, as he showed himself this season. For the cobbles they will both have Asgreen and Lampaert for another year, as it is looking right now.

Try to keep Vansevenant and Schmid imo. They can farm points in smaller stage-races and one-day races. Stage-hunters in the GTs.

Van Wilder, what is happening with him?

I can see guys like Vervaeke and Serry being renewed. They can still do a job as helpers. I think keeping Declerq for another year wouldnt be so stupid either, if he doesnt retire. Van Lerberghe too. I think you need these guys in the team. Especially, if they will be signing some younger riders to fill out their squad while riders like Morkov, Cavanga, Senechal, Ballerini, Cerny, Steimle, Knox, Bagioli, Jakobsen, Cattaneo, Vernon and so on are riders that are probably leaving. A couple of them might still be renewed.

Then they will probably try to sign what it is available, on the market. Maybe someone already have, but it will be announced later.

I could see them signing another sprinter, if both Jakobsen and Vernon are leaving.

Dont know what is available when it comes to the classics, but would probably be good to get someone in there as well.

Sign one or two more climbers for Remco, depending on what is available. Then use the money for when Ala and Asgreen leaves for 2025. Imo, I would try to keep Asgreen if he gets back to former level. I think he can still be important in a great team for the Tour.

Then fill up the rest of the roster with youth or shrewd signings like Casper Pedersen.
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I agree with most of this.

Regarding the signing of another sprinter, they already did with Luke Lamperti (or at least that's the rumour).

As far as I know/read or what is at least rumoured:

- Leaving the team: Jakobsen (already confirmed), Cavagna, Bagioli, Ballerini
- Renewals (or advanced negotiations to renew): Vervaeke, Serry, Van Wilder, Cattaneo, Van Lerberghe
- New signings: Lecerf, Bastiaens
 
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Peter von

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Salvarani said:
I think those calling for Ineos has no patience or jumping on the bandwagon. I am not too sure it will automatically work.

Soudal dont need the "perfect" team for the Tour next year, since other teams will be stronger no matter what you do in the transfer market this year.
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true, Evenepoel just needs a few climbers to help him stay hydrated on big mountain stages and other than that Jumbo or UAE will do the work. They already have a lot of riders to pilot him safely through the flat stages, which is just as important as climbers, just ask Nairito. If he then starts beating Pogi and Vinge in third week, they probably need to upgrade for the following year.
I don't think there is much of a point in thinking you need a US Postal team before having your rider do his first TdF.

You just need to make sure he isn't regularly isolated with 100 k to go.
 
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Salvarani

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Berflamand said:
I agree with most of this.

Regarding the signing of another sprinter, they already did with Luke Lamperti (or at least that's the rumour).

As far as I know/read or what is at least rumoured:

- Leaving the team: Jakobsen (already confirmed), Cavagna, Bagioli, Ballerini
- Renewals (or advanced negotiations to renew): Vervaeke, Serry, Van Wilder, Cattaneo, Van Lerberghe
- New signings: Lecerf, Bastiaens
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I think that is all good news.

Lamperti is an interesting one, if true. Hopefully he is able to make step up to WT, but I can see him being eased into in some smaller races first in the beginning.

All those renewals, no problem. They are sound. I think I managed to name pretty much all of them and Cattaneo is probably one of the others, I would renew for another season.

Lecerf seems like a decent talent, that needs to develop more but could turn-out to be very good.

Dont know much about Bastiaens. Who is that?
 
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Berflamand

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Salvarani said:
I think that is all good news.

Lamperti is an interesting one, if true. Hopefully he is able to make step up to WT, but I can see him being eased into in some smaller races first in the beginning.

All those renewals, no problem. They are sound. I think I managed to name pretty much all of them and Cattaneo is probably one of the others, I would renew for another season.

Lecerf seems like a decent talent, that needs to develop more but could turn-out to be very good.

Dont know much about Bastiaens. Who is that?
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Apparently a Declercq-type rouleur who is signed for that exact role.
 
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Salvarani

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joseph89 said:
Project Remco is slowly killing the wolfpack.
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Their classics squad been non-existent for about two seasons now, without any reinforcements happening.

Seems like they are scrambling to sign some more support for Remco, while losing good/useful riders like Schmid.

They will have to hope they get really lucky with signing a couple of youngsters who turn-out to be world-beaters but the likes of Ineos, Jumbo, UAE, Bora, EF, Treak... everyone are signing up these young riders and the best talents.

One do wonder what the plan is at Soudal. Seems chaotic there atm, but maybe the plan is yet to be revealed.
 
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Red Rick

Red Rick

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Salvarani said:
Their classics squad been non-existent for about two seasons now, without any reinforcements happening.

Seems like they are scrambling to sign some more support for Remco, while losing good/useful riders like Schmid.

They will have to hope they get really lucky with signing a couple of youngsters who turn-out to be world-beaters but the likes of Ineos, Jumbo, UAE, Bora, EF, Treak... everyone are signing up these young riders and the best talents.

One do wonder what the plan is at Soudal. Seems chaotic there atm, but maybe the plan is yet to be revealed.
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No plan. Just vibes.
 
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GenericBoonenFan

GenericBoonenFan

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Red Rick said:
No plan. Just vibes.
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Oh no, for the first time in 40 years a Belgian actually has a shot of winning the biggest race on earth. And oh no, the biggest Belgian team of the past decades is shifting its focus from classics to the biggest race on the calendar? Why would they do that? Surely, another Roubaix or another Flandres would be way more valuable for their sponsors.
I don't understand why the want to give Belgium the victory it has been waiting for for decades. Why do they want to give an entire generation of cycling fans a feeling they've never had? Why oh why do they want to win the Tour de France with the biggest Belgian talent since Boonen?
Why don't they build their team around another Belgian superstar like Merlier?
It's crazy how Patrick thinks...
 
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Ricco'

Ricco'

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Tbh they are entering the 6th consecutive season with that rider on the roster and they hardly seem to have made significant inroads in making their team a legit threat to be more than a 2nd tier team for the TdF in that period.

Lidl Trek has made imo more structural improvements and changes that could lead them to be a dominant team just in this transfer market.
 
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Eddy Evenepoel

Eddy Evenepoel

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I see on Twitter (Domestique account is reporting) that Tim Merlier have said to RTBF that he wants to go to the Tour together with Bert van Lerberghe and that the two of them are ready to work for Remco on the stages where Merlier wont sprint. He specifially mention the gravel stage as a stage where they can be very useful.

How would a potential QS team look like with Remco and Merlier?
I struggle to find space for both Lampaert and Van Lerberghe.

Remco
Landa
Van Wilder
Asgreen
Alaphilippe?
Cattaneo/Vervaeke/Hirt?
Merlier
Van Lerberghe / Lampaert ?

I think Merlier in the Tour would make sense if Remco goes Giro GC and then to the Tour to see how it goes, but if Remco goes all in on the Tour like he's been indicating I think it would be better to send Merlier to the Giro.
 
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