Soudal Quick-Step to the Giro d’Italia

Julian Alaphilippe and Tim Merlier headline our eight-man squad for the Corsa Rosa.

First Grand Tour of the season gets underway in just a couple of days, Venaria Reale hosting the Grande Partenza of the competition which between 4-26 May will run its 107th edition. It will be a race of two halves – one comprising many opportunities for the sprinters and the puncheurs, and just two proper stages for the GC men – and a second one heavily tilted towards the climbers.

The Corsa Rosa will feature this year a total of 71 kilometers of individual time trialing, and it remains to be seen what their impact will be on the final outcome given that the third week of the race brings some leg-sapping hurdles, such as Forcola di Livigno, the mythical Stelvio, Passo del Broncon, Cima Sappada, and a double ascent of the Monte Grappa coming on the penultimate day of the race.

Our team will be at the start of the Giro d’Italia for the 20th time in its history, having won a total of 29 stages and nine jerseys at the previous participations. A two-time World Champion and winner of numerous races – from Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico stages to Milano-Sanremo – on Italian soil, Julian Alaphilippe will make his debut at Il Giro, which Soudal Quick-Step will take on with a strong squad capable of being in the mix on all terrains.

The most successful sprinter of the season, with seven victories to his name, Tim Merlier will also be in action for the Wolfpack, together with Josef Cerny, Jan Hirt, neo-pro Luke Lamperti, Pieter Serry – riding his tenth Giro – Bert Van Lerberghe and Mauri Vansevenant, who impressed in the Ardennes Classics.

“We have a good team for the first Grand Tour of the season, comprising riders who can do something in the sprints, on the hilly stages, but also in the mountains. All the guys are confident and motivated to do a good Giro. It won’t be easy, it never is, but we are ready to take it day by day in the next three weeks and give our best, and hopefully, this will bring us some nice results”, said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Davide Bramati.

Photo credit: ©Wout Beel