Deceuninck – Quick-Step has Thursday his selection announced for Paris-Roubaix. The team up with team leaders Zdenek Stybar, Gilbert, and Yves Lampaert.
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Gilbert took out the finish in the Tour of Flanders, Stybar performed below expectations with a 36th place. After it turned out that both tenors of the formation of Patrick Lefevere has not yet recovered were of disease. Those germs are now out of the body of the murderous, so hopes the squad to Sunday again as a strong block for the day to come.
The team got in the Round still in second place with the amazing Kasper Asgreen. “My role in the team has not changed,” said the young Dane at a press conference of his team. “I’m not going to suddenly have the leadership claim in a squad with guys that are already as many have proven. It was good to be second in the Round, but Sunday put me again in my role as a helper. And who knows there is something off the bus. It does not matter, if we but with the team score.”
“We need prices, as we always do,” Yves Lampaert. “Offensively, taking the initiative, the price is not to wait, but to make it yourself. That is our strength. No, we have never thought we were invincible. We won, indeed, much to Ghent-Wevelgem and then no more, but we were still second with Kasper. We still have a lot of confidence and should definitely not panic. On the contrary, Sunday is waiting for us a price that our extremely well located.”
Selection: Kasper Asgreen, Tim Declercq, Philippe Gilbert, Iljo Keisse, Yves Lampaert, Florian Sénéchal and Zdenek Stybar.
Gilbert calls himself not a favorite
Philippe Gilbert will start Sunday in his third Paris-Roubaix. The rider is dreaming of a victory in the Helleklassieker, but calls himself not a favorite. “No, not at all. Why should I favorite? I’ve never accomplished something. I start with a lot of enthusiasm, but a favorite I am not.”
Gilbert was there something happier on Thursday during a press conference of his team in the main buildings of sponsor Quick-Step Floors in Wielsbeke. The disease is out of his body. “And I’m glad about that”, said de Waal. “Last week I was at the press conference also cautiously optimistic, but also realist, but in the Round it went just not. I was sick Tuesday and Wednesday in Dwars door Vlaanderen, and then I felt better again, but in the night from Saturday on Sunday I was again sick. Then it was too late to take part. So I tried and fortunately it was long time a rather compact game, and I could follow. If it had rained, I was previously unloaded. Finally I had yet to specify. That is a pity and a great disappointment, but I don’t want to dwell on this too long. You can’t change. Now I feel better. The condition can not be gone. In the end I was only two days really empty and sick. Now I am in order, so Sunday I hope to perform well.”
Gilbert races but his third Roubaix. “So, I’m not a favorite, I still have nothing proven. Why would I have a favourite, because of my name? No, that says nothing. Sunday, there are others at the start that better results have driven in this price. I’m going to definitely do my best and I hope for a good result. The victory? Obviously, every rider likes to win, but that there are also in it will be Sunday.”
Stybar would like very first cobbled
Zdenek Stybar rode six times in Paris-Roubaix, one time only, he finished not in the top ten, in 2016 when he 110th. Two times he stood on the podium: second in 2015 and 2017. “It would be nice if I finally get on that top of the podium,” said the 33-year-old Church Thursday.
Stybar started as the big favourite in the Tour of Flanders, after his victories in the Omloop het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Harelbeke. Because of illness he played however no role. “I shared a room with Phil a few days before he became ill, perhaps I was when lit. At me broke the disease later. Until Thursday, I felt not so good and on the exploration, I felt a little strength in the legs, but I paid not too much attention to it. I was hoping that I was just having a bad day, but on Sunday it was still not out of the legs. If I can just get in the seat was, I felt good, but that tempoversnellingen in the Round also achieved. I had no strength in the legs. That is a pity, because I wanted my good condition for cashing. Fortunately, waiting for me Sunday is a new opportunity.”
“Wednesday, I’m training happen to be still with John Degenkolb (who was in Antwerp stayed between the Tour and Roubaix and the Helleklassieker). In 2015, I was after him, second, I told him that I was the Sunday like vice versa, see. We had both to laugh, but that feeling prevails with me. Sunday to count my results of the past weeks, I really want that first cobble stone.”
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