Soudal - Quick Step Thread

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's clinic related. Their classics squad dr left 17-18 months ago...

While Movistar is doing pretty well, they have hardly become a dominant force. They have not improved to the extent Quickstep have regressed, not even close, and the man you are referring to, is now working for Movistar. So that doesn't cut it as an explanation. Especially not since Evenepoel and his entourage does not seem to be slowed down.

 

[staubsauger]

Lol.

Yeah, average is a hyperbole of course. But you get the point. What @Blanco said basically.

 

[Blanco]

While Movistar is doing pretty well, they have hardly become a dominant force. They have not improved to the extent Quickstep have regressed, not even close, and the man you are referring to, is now working for Movistar. So that doesn't cut it as an explanation. Especially not since Evenepoel and his entourage does not seem to be slowed down.

Yeah, I know where he works. Give him (them) some time..

 

[Billie]

51 weeks since Asgreen committed suicide on the Kwaremont Hasn't been the same since

 

[rghysens]

51 weeks since Asgreen committed suicide on the Kwaremont Hasn't been the same since

Mehh, he had a good AGR a week later.

 

[hayneplane]

Even by their Covid era regression from dominating the northern classics today is a particularly embarrassing showing. Merlier can be commended for a performance far better than most would’ve thought him capable of but the rest were completely awol to have only Merlier top 25 in a field lacking the likes of MVDP and Pogacar.

 

[Panda Claws]

Why so weak?

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Twenty contracts up this year. I wonder how many of these will get an offer

DEVENYNS Dries	?
SÉNÉCHAL Florian	?
JAKOBSEN Fabio	?
MØRKØV Michael	?
CATTANEO Mattia	?
SERRY Pieter	?
BALLERINI Davide	?
CAVAGNA Rémi	?
ČERNÝ Josef	?
VAN LERBERGHE Bert	?
KNOX James	?
DECLERCQ Tim	?
BAGIOLI Andrea	?
VANSEVENANT Mauri	?
SCHMID Mauro	?
STEIMLE Jannik	?
VERVAEKE Louis	?
VAN WILDER Ilan	?
VERNON Ethan	?
VAN TRICHT Stan	?

 

[Berflamand]

Twenty contracts up this year. I wonder how many of these will get an offer

DEVENYNS Dries	?
SÉNÉCHAL Florian	?
JAKOBSEN Fabio	?
MØRKØV Michael	?
CATTANEO Mattia	?
SERRY Pieter	?
BALLERINI Davide	?
CAVAGNA Rémi	?
ČERNÝ Josef	?
VAN LERBERGHE Bert	?
KNOX James	?
DECLERCQ Tim	?
BAGIOLI Andrea	?
VANSEVENANT Mauri	?
SCHMID Mauro	?
STEIMLE Jannik	?
VERVAEKE Louis	?
VAN WILDER Ilan	?
VERNON Ethan	?
VAN TRICHT Stan	?

Interesting.

I think I'd definitely try to renew: Cattaneo, Serry, Ballerini, Cavagna, Van Lerberghe, Declercq, Bagioli, Vansevenant, Schmid, Vervaeke and Van Wilder. Maybe also Jakobsen if he wants to stay without being able to go to the Tour.

I'd let go off Devenyns, Morkov, Cerny and Knox.

I'm on the fence about Sénéchal, Steimle, Vernon and Van Tricht.

 

[Volderke]

Devenyns will go if Alaphilippe goes with mutual consent.
I would not keep Jakobsen and thin out some of the sprinter's lead out riders, but I would keep Morkov.

 

[Berflamand]

Devenyns will go if Alaphilippe goes with mutual consent.
I would not keep Jakobsen and thin out some of the sprinter's lead out riders, but I would keep Morkov.

Devenyns turns 40 this year. I think it's time to retire, no matter what happens with Alaphilippe.

Morkov turns 38 this year. I think Van Lerberghe is doing a great job as lead-out and he has an excellent relationship with both Merlier and Jakobsen (if he stays). Then there is also Casper Pedersen. I'd use this year to learn as much as possible from the expertise of Morkov but I don't see much value in keeping Morkov for the next few years (unless maybe as sprint coach/team member).

 

[Netserk]

Definitely ditch Jakobsen, Mørkøv, Sénéchal, Vernon, Knox, Devenyns. Maybe Cattaneo as well.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Interesting.

I think I'd definitely try to renew: Cattaneo, Serry, Ballerini, Cavagna, Van Lerberghe, Declercq, Bagioli, Vansevenant, Schmid, Vervaeke and Van Wilder. Maybe also Jakobsen if he wants to stay without being able to go to the Tour.

I'd let go off Devenyns, Morkov, Cerny and Knox.

I'm on the fence about Sénéchal, Steimle, Vernon and Van Tricht.

I find it hard to gauge Cerny as his work is often done before the livestream comes on.

The other factor is that a few of those - Van Wilder, Bagioli and Schmid - could be targets.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Cattaneo will need to pass his exam at the Giro. Van Tricht is a Young Belgian rider who i have no clear view on regarding his potential and progression, which might be telling by itself. I'm not seeing the added value but i could be wrong. Knox, even in top shape, which we haven't seen in 3 years, would barely classify as a mountain dom. Devenyns has been quite useless overall other than keep Alaphilippe company for a while. Morkov's time seems up as well.

I've been disappointed with Bagioli and Steimle, feel they haven't lived up to their potential. If they had, i would have definitely tried to keep them.

Van Wilder, unsurprisingly already has offers from other teams, but would like to stay, even in his current role for a bit longer as long as he gets some bigger opportunities for himself.

Vernon and Cerny are riders that could always be useful in smaller races but less so in big WT races.

Not sure about Senechal and Jakobsen. I feel they are part of the team, but they have also been disappointing lately.

 

[search]

I find it hard to gauge Cerny as his work is often done before the livestream comes on.

he looks like a pretty good domestique to me, occasionally also able to go for results himself - so with Quicksteps interest in the Czech market, I'd guess he is likely to stay.

 

[Berflamand]

he looks like a pretty good domestique to me, occasionally also able to go for results himself - so with Quicksteps interest in the Czech market, I'd guess he is likely to stay.

I think Cattaneo could be an improved version of Cerny if he's willing to take up that role (instead of being a climbing domestique). He's great at TT's, good in the sprint train, can get over a hill and should be able to tow the peloton for long periods of time.

There's also still Declercq, Cavagna and Serry in (more or less) the same role which I think are all better than Cerny.

I agree he's been a good domestique but I just think there are better guys for the job already on the team which makes him redundant imo.

 

[BR2]

I think it might be better to first look what you really need as additions and whom you can get, and then decide who you need to let go for that.
I also think Devenyns and Morkov are just too old now to hang on to, they are the only ones I'd be sure about, the others I would look at later and in the context of their price.
It will be very interesting to see the Giro and what the team can achieve there - if Evenepoel dominates the Giro it makes sense to risk it and put all eggs into that basket and get him the best doms you can lay your hands on. If he doesn't and is "only" on Roglic's level or worse I would be very careful to do that. In that case the team needs a plan for what it wants to be in the future and then decide who they need for that.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

If Vernon gets a few more decent results this year, then I'd probably give him an extension, too, especially if they're saying goodbye to Jakobsen (which I doubt they are, unless he continues to underperform for too long).

 

[houtdffan]

they are becoming a team of donkeys for Remco. This isn't the classics team of the past

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

If I was Lefevre I'd let Jakobsen go. Merlier is a good sprinter and it's enough with 1 sprinter like this in a team that should mainly be build around Evenepoel. Vernon is a nice option as a second sprinter.

What Quick-Step need is a couple of strong climbing doms, and a strong addition to their cobble team. I'm not sure Senechal is worth keeping and same with Bagioli if he wants a big contract. I can't really think of any option that would be a natural target for the cobble team. Laporte is out of contract, but I can't see him leaving Jumbo. Maybe Vanmarcke could actually be a useful rider? The perfect target, De Lie, is not availible.

For Remco I think it's important to resign Wan Wilder, Vansevant, Schmid, Cavagna and Cattaneo. And Vervaeke, he was very useful at the Vuelta.

Jorgenson would of course be a brilliant target, both to strengthen the classics team, to go for results in one week races and to help Remco in the Tour.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Is Fabio on a good contract? Anyone else on that list on decent money?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Jorgenson would of course be a brilliant target, both to strengthen the classics team, to go for results in one week races and to help Remco in the Tour.

It would depend on where he would fit. They need to make sure to start giving Van Wilder more options at least in 1 week races, and both him and Jorgenson would target the same kind of races. There are already Vansevenant and Schmid who take some of those spots but are not bigger talents. They need more people to help Evenepoel without blocking the talent they already have. In that sense a transfer like the one of Vervaeke last year or Cattaneo before makes a lot more sense. A guy who has come to terms with his own limitations, who is willing to go all in as a domestique. Getting Jorgenson just for top 10 spots in a few classics seems like wasted money as well as wasted talent.

Personally, i don't inderstand why they didn't get Teuns last year. He is always an outsider in both cobbled as well as hilly classics. He knows he isn't a GC rider, but he can climb, he can survive from a break and still take pulls. He can get over really steep parts as well, where QuickStep is lacking. He could help Evenepoel in GC's, he could strengthen their hands in all types of classics, and he could even play tag-team with Alaphilippe or work for Alaphilippe (in case he gets back to his best form) like Devenyns has done. That guy would have ticked a lot of boxes for the team.

 

[Samamba]

Personally, i don't inderstand why they didn't get Teuns last year. He is always an outsider in both cobbled as well as hilly classics. He knows he isn't a GC rider, but he can climb, he can survive from a break and still take pulls. He can get over really steep parts as well, where QuickStep is lacking. He could help Evenepoel in GC's, he could strengthen their hands in all types of classics, and he could even play tag-team with Alaphilippe or work for Alaphilippe (in case he gets back to his best form) like Devenyns has done. That guy would have ticked a lot of boxes for the team.

Teuns is known to be everything but a teamplayer.

I agree about the Van Wilder/Jorgensen part tho. Those guys have way too much talent to just beings doms for Remco, they need chances for themselves so you need others to do the dirty work for Remco. Problem probably still is budget. You need a really good climber that has been a leader in the past, and thus has tried to get results but can't win anymore and would be happy with being a last man for someone who can actually win. Problem is to make those guys happy being a dom you still need to pay them as a leader.

I don't even know if there's anyone free who fits that role.

EDIT:
Sivakov? Probably still wants his own chances, I wouldn't be surprised if some French team overpays him.
Hugh Carthy? He's always really good in a 3rd week out of nowhere.
Michael Storer? Not that great at FDJ, but did a really good job at the Tour for Gaudu last year.
Geoffrey Bouchard could maybe be decent? but not as last man ofcourse.
Leknessund would be good in a train I think?

 

[Berniece]

Personally, i don't inderstand why they didn't get Teuns last year.

Budget. He wasn’t cheap after his best spring ever

 

[Samamba]

Budget. He wasn’t cheap after his best spring ever

QS was never even interested. Israel, Lotto and a team I forgot were talking to him. But yes, he was expensive, hence why it was immediately clear he was going to go to Israel.

EDIT: oh B&B ofcourse, lol should've choose them.