Remco Evenepoel and sprinter Tim Merlier will share Soudal Quick-Step leadership at the Tour de France, the Belgian team announced on Tuesday morning.
After finishing third overall and winning the white jersey as best young rider last year, Evenepoel returns to the race targeting a spot on the podium once more, with the stage five time trial in Caen an early opportunity for a potential stage win and the yellow jersey.
"It’s my second Tour de France and I’m looking forward to the Grand Départ, which won’t be far from Belgium. I think it’s obvious that I’m aiming for a good general classification, but the most important thing will be to not lose time in the first half of the race, which should be a very nervous one, with lots of traps and tricky roads. Just like last year, I want to win a stage there and do a good GC, while taking it one day at a time," Evenepoel said.
As well as the double-Olympic champion and Merlier, Soudal Quick-Step’s team also contains Ilan van Wilder, Bert van Lerberghe, Max Schachmann, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Pascal Eenkhorn and Mattia Cattaneo.
"The race can be divided in two parts. A hectic first half, without a proper mountain stage, but with a flat individual time trial where gaps can be made, and plenty of opportunities for the sprinters and the puncheurs. Tim and Remco will have a couple of chances, but important will be that everybody makes it through those ten stages safely," the team’s sports director, Tom Steels, said.
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