Soudal Quick-Step frustrated by Opening Weekend misfortune but ‘on the right track’

According to team director Iljo Keisse, both races were influenced by bad luck hitting their leader when the action exploded. “It happened twice at the most impossible moments with our leader,” Keisse said to Sporza. “On the Eikenberg the race opened up, on the Mont Saint Laurent they started to drop riders and the road was blocked.”

Those incidents, Keisse suggested, turned a weekend built around Magnier into damage control. “Then you know it is probably the end of the story and that was the case,” he said. “In the team car it is swearing, banging, throwing things.”

Keisse did not hide how much it stung, even while acknowledging that racing is often unforgiving. “This is a mechanical sport and something like that can happen, but it is frustrating,” he said. “Paul is quiet for now. He is angry and disappointed. Rightly so, but there is nothing you can do about it.”

“Hopefully he has had his share of bad luck and the luck is now on his side,” Keisse added.

With Magnier unable to contest the finale as planned, the team pivoted to Rex as a late option in Kuurne. The Belgian sprinted to sixth, a result Keisse described as respectable, even if it did not fully change the mood. “Very decent,” he said. “In that way he saves a little, but it is a thin consolation.”

Keisse also pointed to numbers in the front group as proof that the collective is close to clicking. “We ride with 50 riders to the finish and five riders from our team are there,” he said. In his view, Magnier’s presence would have altered the picture dramatically. “With Magnier we would have been with six and we would have been the team of the day. Now that is Visma | Lease a Bike. Chapeau to them.”

Despite the frustration, Keisse closed the weekend with a forward looking tone and an eye on reinforcements. “We are on the right track,” he said, while expressing hope that Jasper Stuyven can return soon. 

“If he comes back and we have less bad luck, then it will be fine. Hopefully we see Jasper on Sunday in Paris-Nice. His illness will leave traces. It is not ideal, but there is still enough time to put this right.”