Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe lead the selection of Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl for the Tour of the Basque Country (4/4 – 9/4). The duo gets a strong team to Spain, but there is no talk of a final victory. “We look at it day by day,” the team management said.
After the disappointment of Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of the Basque Country is a new test for Remco Evenepoel at the highest level. The young talent of Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl will not meet Tadej Pogacar, but will, among others, Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas and Adam Yates.
Sports director Klaas Lodewyck does not express any concrete classification ambitions. “The Tour of the Basque Country is one of the most difficult races of the season. It is also an important preparation for the climbing classics.”
“We will go to Spain with a good and motivated team. We will take it day by day and see what it will be for the general classification.”
Julian Alaphilippe is also there in the Basque Country, after a short stopover in Flanders. After illness, the world champion is putting the finishing touches to his preparation for the Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Amstel Gold Race therefore ignores the Frenchman.
Evenepoel gets a lot of climbing aid with James Knox, Dries Devenyns, Louis Vervaeke and Mauri Vansevenant, speed rider Rémi Cavagna completes the Quick Step selection.
A sprinter is not there, because except for the first day, there is a (heavy) climb every day in the Tour of the Basque Country.
