The Wolfpack makes its penultimate outing of the season in a stage race held on European soil.
Paul Magnier is ready to lead Soudal Quick-Step at the CRO Race, where our team will start for the first time. The 21-year-old, who just a few weeks ago wrote history in Okolo Slovenska by winning four consecutive stages and the points jersey, is one of the season’s most successful riders with ten victories under his belt, and will try to add to this impressive number this week.
“I am happy with my run in September and the five wins I got in France and Slovakia. The feeling was good there and the team too was on the top of their game, and now I’m prepared to race in Croatia for the first time in my career. I hope to have the same legs and get at least a stage victory”, Paul said.
Joining Magnier on Soudal Quick-Step’s roster for tenth edition of the race are former Czech Champion Josef Cerny, Gil Gelders, Antoine Huby, Pepijn Reinderink, Dries Van Gestel, and Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team’s Lars Vanden Heede, the 20-year-old Belgian who recently finished top ten in Textielprijs Vichte.
Starting from Split – the largest city on the Croatian coast, renowned for its blend of Roman and Venetian architecture – and concluding in Zagreb, the country’s capital, CRO Race (30 September – 5 October) has a course favouring those capable of overcoming the numerous hills spread over the six stages, but will give a couple of chances also to the sprinters.
“We have a nice team around Paul for this week. The weather here could also play an important role, especially if there’s rain and wind like last year. On paper, we should have three, maybe four, stages for the fast men. Paul has shown a strong shape in Fourmies and Slovakia, and will once again rely on a team capable of controlling the race and a strong lead-out man, in Dries. There are a lot of good teams at the start, but we are confident in our chances of fighting for a victory”, explained sports director Iljo Keisse, who will lead the team from the car together with Sep Vanmarcke.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
