Soudal - Quick Step Thread

[wheresmybrakes]

Maybe the riders are on a go slow protest, as everything seems to revolve around Team Remco and his goals.

 

[shadowrider]

Maybe the riders are on a go slow protest, as everything seems to revolve around Team Remco and his goals.

Maybe. But that is not the main problem. After changing teams, Ala, Asgreen and Lampaert will not perform either.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

The climbing part of the team performed well in the past year and this year. Van Wilder, Serry, Vervaeke have had some of their best results.

The Classic squad led by Lampaert, Asgreen, Moscon... They've had a shocker of a campaign.
Merlier is the one bright note on that part of the team. He is solidifying his status as second best sprinter in the world.

 

[Salvarani]

Maybe the riders are on a go slow protest, as everything seems to revolve around Team Remco and his goals.

Not a bad shout.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Maybe the riders are on a go slow protest, as everything seems to revolve around Team Remco and his goals.

Slowly riding themselves into contracts with Pro Conti teams.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Can we please refrain from all further speculation until after Fausto Masnada descends from Etna to do a giro podium.

 

[SafeBet]

Because Asgreen, Lampaert and Alaphilippe (very relevant in 2 RvVs before his performance level dropped big time) has fallen of a cliff. Yes they have lost many guys that used to be good in the cobble classics, but also they dropped of the last few seasons before they left (Stybar, Senechal, Ballerini etc). Since 2021 they have been just very bad and worse every year, and it’s not because they have a team of cobble specialists. It’s because their cobble specialists got more or less irrelevant.

Probably semantics, but in my opinion a cobble specialist who's been barely relevant for 3 straight cobble campaigns, while actually producing a number of decent to good results in other races (Asgreen has won a TdF stage for instance), well, is no longer a cobble specialist.
And their recent streak of bad results shouldn't come as a surprise. That's their level. Decent to good riders who happen to ride cobble classics because the team has no credible alternatives.

 

[Kwaremonster]

There clearly is some significant scientific development when it comes to preparing for cobbled classics that they missed out on. I heard alpecin sleep with cobbles under their pillows and hire people to throw beer and urine at them during training.

 

[AmRacer]

to throw beer, urine and cobbles at them during training

 

[cellardoor]

Well. Evenepoel performed ok at his level before his crash. So did his mountain-teammates. Merlier was excellent in his domain. Winning sprints in stages and semi-classics. The youngsters did well. Even if the medical guidance and foodapps are not of top level in the Soudal-Quickstepteam, the problem isn't there. Ala, Asgreen and Lampaert have an attitudeproblem and don't live (or didn't live in winter) as proriders.

In a rapidly evolving top sport you will no longer be able to make it on the basis of talent alone.

What is your reason for thinking that Lampaert doesn't "live like a pro-rider in the winter"?

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Probably semantics, but in my opinion a cobble specialist who's been barely relevant for 3 straight cobble campaigns, while actually producing a number of decent to good results in other races (Asgreen has won a TdF stage for instance), well, is no longer a cobble specialist.
And their recent streak of bad results shouldn't come as a surprise. That's their level. Decent to good riders who happen to ride cobble classics because the team has no credible alternatives.

I feel like if somebody's biggest win is Tour of Flanders, and they don't have any else, it's fair to call them a cobble speciealist

 

[Ricco']

Next year they should just bring Remco to RvV. At the moment it's their best and maybe only opportunity to win their home monument and no, I'm not forgetting that he may not have the right technique to ride cobbles.

 

[hayneplane]

Next year they should just bring Remco to RvV. At the moment it's their best and maybe only opportunity to win their home monument and no, I'm not forgetting that he may not have the right technique to ride cobbles.

Exactly. He might not cope with the cobbles but right now we know for sure none of their perennial classics guys are still good enough to contend so it doesn’t make sense to rely on them.

 

[shadowrider]

What is your reason for thinking that Lampaert doesn't "live like a pro-rider in the winter"?

Lampaert is no longer fanatically involved in his sport.[deleted by mod] It's not that he doesn't work hard anymore. But that one percent difference ensures that Lampaert, as an aging sub-topper, is no longer involved. Especially now that cycling is evolving faster and faster. I don't know what the problem is with Asgreen in recent years. But he looks particularly lethargic and resigned.I thought he would bounce back after a good Tour 23. But he didn't.