2023-07-12 17:02:40
By @amatiz12
Remco Evenepoel will defend his title in the Vuelta a España and his decision begins to have an effect within Quick-Step, which now having the chance to contest the general classification, will do without the presence of its other great sprinter: Tim Merlier.
(Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images)
The 30-year-old Belgian was in the plans for the Iberian round almost by default, since the Giro would be focused on Evenepoel and for the Tour the sprinter chosen was Jakobsen. But, the premature abandonment of the world champion in Italy opened the doors to his defense of the red and since that is the new priority, from the direction they see no place for volatas.
“Remco said very clearly that they didn’t have a problem with Tim there,” team boss Patrick Lefevere told VRT News. “But in the end, after talking to Tim himself, we decided not to do it and give him a different show. Could it be a tactical advantage? If they are all good, it should be an advantage, yes, ”he explained.
A contender for the title must be surrounded as well as possible with runners for all terrains and a sprinter, with a complete launch train. You can do both at the same time, but it’s going to go halfway, simply because there isn’t enough material to adequately cover those two tasks with only 6 routers to choose from.
What is certain is that it has not been Merlier’s best first season with the ‘Wolfpack’, being left out of all the big ones and being, in theory, one of the stars of the structure. Although apparently, he does not take it badly. “Tim wanted to ride the Vuelta, but he is a good boy and he said that he would accept the team’s decision. Winning is winning: whether it’s a stage of La Vuelta or a stage of the Benelux Tour,” said Lefevere.
Alejandro Matiz
Do you like what we do? Follow in Instagram y Twitter
Join us on facebook: International Cycling
Copyright © 2012-2023 International Cycling. All Rights Reserved
Alpecin confirms that Van der Poel is much better after falling ill Jasper Philipsen, absolute dominator of the sprints in the Tour de France
#Tim #Merlier #left #Vuelta #inclusion #Evenepoel #International #Cycling