Sprints, climbs and time trials all targeted by Belgian team
Omega Pharma-Quick Step is taking what it feels is a rider for every eventuality to the Tour of Romandie, which starts on Tuesday, April 23rd, as it goes on the hunt for stage victories. The six-day Swiss race, which is the next event in the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour covers a variety of different terrains, with something for the sprinters as well as the climbers, and is topped and tailed by two stages against the clock.
“We have riders for each race situation,” said directeur sportif Brian Holm. “There is a prologue and a final TT for Tony Martin, and then some mixed stages for the other guys; for example, a stage hunter like Gianni Meersman.
“It’s also a good preparation for the Giro d’Italia,” he added. “If there is a sprint, we have [Mark] Cavendish who is tuning up his condition for the Giro. We have a balanced team, so I think we can be a protagonist throughout the race. That is our objective, but we will see each day.”
Cavendish has not raced since taking a disappointed second in the Scheldeprijs on April 3rd, Martin last raced to victory in the final, time trial stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, while Meersman rode Amstel Gold but sat out Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. All three will be looking to add to their list of victories this season – which adds up to 13 between them – after the Belgian team’s lack of success in the Spring Classics.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step team for the Tour de Romandie
Gianluca Brambilla, Mark Cavendish, Bert Grabsch, Tony Martin, Gianni Meersman, Kristof Vandewalle, Peter Velits and Julien Vermote