Soudal – Quick Step 2024 Preview | Lanterne Rouge Cycling Podcast

In this episode Patrick Broe and Benji Naesen preview Soudal – Quick Step.

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Credits:
Photos | Cor Vos (unless stated otherwise)
Results | FirstCycling

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro
00:01:49 – 2023 recap
00:07:27 – The teams’ future
00:14:44 – Outgoing transfers
00:24:19 – Incoming transfers
00:36:29 – Should Mikel Landa domestique for Remco?
00:37:39 – Can Remco Evenepoel win the Tour de France?
00:48:24 – Tim Merlier’s Tour wish
00:54:30 – Classics team
00:57:14 – Hot takes & over-unders

Welcome back to the lanter rou cycling podcast for one of the biggest previews of the season sudal quickstep that’s what they’re still called in 2024 I believe no merger happened we’re going to be talking what’s the future of this team as well as what is the proposed

Schedule of Remco and other main riders in 2024 with of course the review of their 2023 season and transfers a lot of things muted to happen that didn’t eventually happen with this team in the off season but this week we had further news about a new coo coming in who is

The heir and waiting till a favor but more on him in a second Benji how you been going pretty good actually pretty good it’s going to be a busy week a lot of stuff to record but I’m actually very in very much enjoying these previews

It’s like it’s like a clean sheet at the start of the season right where we we get to to we get to munch on the new transfers we get to munch on the new teams and then see them in action next year and we might say some horrible

Takes or some great takes but that’s the always tried I I think uh my Bora preview in 2021 Christmas was um that was where I I popped off the hindley take I think yeah one didn’t do too well some of them have been okay but yeah we’ve got people

Keeping track of the uh uh of of the World Tour wins over unders we also forgot to include GC counts as well so I think it’s over 170 World Tour races are up for the winning in 2024 uh which is yeah a lot of races many of which have been won by sudal

Quickstep so 2023 Benji how do we feel about their season 56 total wins 23 World Tour wins that’s a lot 23 World Tour wins out of 56 wins and it’s also one could say that oh when you think about quickstep you always think about REM quol but there’s so much other

Breadwinners is how I’d call it in the team like T he didn’t step up in a ground tour because he didn’t have a ground tour to ride in this season but it did step up outside of that in the likes of U tour and so for w two stages

There then racked up some Stags in poonia which I don’t rate that highly but it’s still a witer win I guess REM quaven pool obviously one lbl one San Sebastian but next to that started the jro as GC leader won two stages then had the whole Co Affair happening then went

To the VTA at the end of the year won three VTA stages he was showing already a bit of cracks though before the moment where it all fell apart on the on the obisk was that the climb yeah it was the obes first climb of stage 1 so he then

Reinvigorated himself as the the km man of the of the race three stage wins plus km in that race it’s not what he started for but at least it’s something that he got out of it w theer as well second catalon PL a stage like he also got a

Lot of the victories and a lot of the results of the team obviously but that’s also what they’ve got him for yakobson arguably disappointing season one will to win Tano crashed out of the tour to France I personally didn’t see him competitive in that race but maybe if that didn’t happen that

Section two stage wins at romandy with veran and Cherney that’s I didn’t remember that won a two a stage you’re right I actually forgot to put that on the notes even I agree and yeah it’s a it’s just a lot of uh a lot of Victories is how i’ say it but

Outside of that like I value tral VAR maybe over a a romandy stage win with Bon welder I think I mean when you look at the St list what it’s POG and in rogl right yeah so it doesn’t really get much better than that in the hilly Italian

Classic whereas yeah Romy reduced Sprint I mean you got to be in it to win it I guess I have the feeling that this team gets a hard time or maybe not enough credit Benji I I think sudar quickstep when you look at all these wins when you

Look at wins in all three grand Tours wins in uh a monument as well as yeah what the second or third most overall wins over 20 World Tour wins and from loads of different Riders third on the points ranking ahead of any a and Trek who have a bigger budget than them

And maybe listen I ag2r I’d like to see their budget matched up against quickstep 2 yes they’re not close to UA or yamb but they’re leading the other teams in third and I think yeah a lot of the because rco didn’t win a grand tour and because they

They really weren’t good in the Cobble Classics mhm you know there is a discussion of what happened to the Quick Step have they over they’ve train Tred to change too much to be a GC team now but I looked at some of their previous years they had years in the 2015s no

Were near as good as this with eight nine World Tour wins I agree but I do feel like there’s this overall feeling maybe it’s more a flamish centered feeling where the Cobble Classics are just very important for a team like quickstep but with the way that like

It’s it’s kind of that their could it be that their history in those Cobble Classics is haunting them a bit as in they were so successful with Tom bonan with stain deer in years with ozr with with chaanel at certain periods like they were so successful for a serious

Amount of time to the point that Lotto destiny now had a better Cobble season this year and that’s still of very high importance in in Belgian media who will be the first judging person or the first judging what do you call it area because like Belgian media is going to judge

Them on their Goble classes yeah oh but Belgian media’s you know they’re a special special breed am I technically Belgian media no cuz you do it you mostly communicate in English in okay so I don’t I don’t you’re just you’re and you don’t even live there anymore they they exiled you that’s why

You’re in the UK you got kicked out the joke become real became reality so yeah third on the overall ranking all those wins it is by any if you do a budget to results ratio they might be first overall uh this two dark Quick Step In the whole of World Tour peleton but

There is a sense that well they they want a grand tour ramp going 22 and they didn’t this year um he n welta was the big next step to compete against the yumbo sort of Monster Squad and it didn’t happen the jro is just unfortunate I I have that as a ride off

But yeah is at the team and then there’s all the I think all the stuff behind the scenes is soured what what I’ve just said is it was a really good season we went into the off season then where is the team merging Baka obviously isn’t happy with what’s

Happened or I don’t know there’s talks and we never probably will never know what exactly was close to happening or would happen but clearly yeah clearly Bala wasn’t happy and the last report Benji was what that Bala said okay I stay with quickstep everyone stays put there’s no merger but you have a

2year Lifeline with me as the principal guarant tour of the team that’s the report I read and uh when I read that I felt like o Remco won’t enjoy that that news because he’s looking to have a built team around him that gets better in support of him while he can get

Better in the hopes that he can win the Tour front at some point in his career which if that is happening if that he’s simmering down the team’s finances over two years is how I read that that report then then it’s not exactly great news

For that for that road map and what did give me somewhat positive news in my eyes is the recent discussions about the the new heir of la fa his app Apprentice like do you know that British program The Apprentice with that one dude imagine if Le fa had like a show

Like that with like 10 people that he had to like Apprentice into becoming the new CEO of quickstep I would have watched the [ __ ] out of that show yeah and this is the guy it’s uh you cor correct my pronunciation Benji Jurgen for he is uh a partner at De was

Was a partner at too for a number of years he’s I think in his maybe mid 40s early 50s his father I think won par so he comes from a cycling family or one classic so from a cycling family but not a pro himself and had a professional career it

Looks like someone with the right uh you know what the word for civilian palarz is the right resume or CV for um I’m going to start calling him civilian palmares that’s CV washed in civilian palares he looks like the right man for I don’t know the guy but flri

Verified is he okay like his dad you said Ru but also rvv andam two times of Belgium three stage of Pines there was D Dad having good wats in the 70s doesn’t mean this guy can move money around maybe he has the the brains and his dad had the wats yeah

Maybe and listen this is a job for for br if he is inde it looks pretty clear that he is to be the guy taking over from LEF who wants to step back in a couple of years I think I read a report on hen had lots of news in Belgium which

Yeah doesn’t always get it right but I read a report by them that LE had said that they would appoint someone as their new coo because they had found his new his new Heir and then for got announced as his new Heir so as his new Co so I’m

Guessing that’s the guy that will eventually become the CEO in the team but yeah we we know Highland doesn’t always get it right did you see that article yesterday that yonas vingo was spotted in um in a restaurant in anware and it was like a lookalike it wasn’t

Two newspapers including high and I was like M that’s not him no joke no joke when you sent it to me I just woken up well cuz you sent it I’m in Australia obviously that’s why I look bright red um and I’ve been waking up at 4 in the

Morning you sent it to me and I looked at it and I thought [ __ ] it’s going to be tough to win the Tour next year if he’s looking like that Jesus Christ but then I I put my glasses on I was like oh thank God but was the guy holding a yo Jersey

Like was he playing into it he he was holding I think an all blacks rugby thingy because he he went to a rugby game but like there is some connection with Yambo and the old blacks rugby thing but oh I mean if I look like Dad guar I’m playing

Into the look Alik meme reagon you got a free meal out of it I reckon that Yambo should hire him to do the press conferences and all the Press moments for yingo at Marin games Danish yeah ra said the Rasmus Franklin I think his name is or extra blooded they come up to

Him and give an in he’s like I don’t speak Danish he start flamish yeah oh it’s all the same um Jesus get out of here anyway that was funny that was funny but um yeah I think this is a and as well I think this guy and La have

Kind of got a maybe not two years but 18 months prove it to bakalar to maybe try to get him back on board and extend the runway of his uh support for the team or Indeed fl’s job is to get commercial sponsors to fill in what Bala was paying

Himself and so the but the problem is as things stand and if that doesn’t happen J Henley Ben o Conor these sort of riders hitting the market in 2025 why would why would they sign with the team that has its principal garant to saying they’re going to step away a year

A year into their contract that’s yeah but way too risky I often feel like I ask that question a lot like DSM didn’t have a a secured future in the middle of their will or three-year license at some point in the in the last few years and

People were still signing for that team so I feel like maybe there are things we don’t know when it comes to the finances of quickstep or that we didn’t know when it comes to DSM that something’s already secured or that something’s being looked into that is hopeful but I agree I would

Find it sketchy and dangerous if I was a rider and if this was an option to go to them then I’d I’d seriously consider my options yeah it makes things trickier for them in the transfer market which for 2025 is already heating up now for the big boys so yeah that’s just

Something to bear in mind as well but it it moves on I don’t know what the the atmosphere is like after the merger certainly it was a long period of time there where staff and Riders were were in the dark and not knowing what was going to happen a very stressful start

To their offseason so it’s going to be going take a lot of work I think to take that sentiment turn it around reset 2024 season let’s get motivated they’re professionals obviously but you know that that’s a difficult start to the off season and what’s more we also saw we get into it

In a bit you know murmurings from other Riders on the team like merer saying Hey I want to go to a grand tour not just any I want to go to the tour to France why can’t I ala phip saying I’m you know contract year I need to perform so as

Well other Riders are murmuring too but we want to get into their transfers now Benji yes we’re going to go into their transfers and let’s talk about the um well when ites to the outgoing people Fabi yakobson is one that is leaving that’s the pretty big name that’s leaving

But also a name where I didn’t feel like the the amount of Victories that he had in the season were notably exceptional as in that tyano victory was there but outside of that he was kind of doing the runagan thing right as in the the trying to clean up

Sprints in Hungary and so forth to try and get more victories and that’s not enough probably for the salary that he’s on in my opinion and when I then look at the option of him leaving and stepping up in the team then I don’t mind that because I feel like merer

Could have done a lot better in 2023 yeah definitely If he if he went to the wter which he was supposed to do I will say that Fabio probably outperformed his contract that Quick Step uh because it was signed after its crash but certainly you’re probably referring to the contract DSM are paying

Whether it was a good idea for Quick Step to match is wouldn’t have been a good idea they barely have enough spots to take Merle to grand Tours let alone now having two premium sprinters and Remco and alip it it didn’t look like there was space for yakobson so he’s out

The door um and you’re right is still it’s you know it’s five or six victories out the door one or two at world to level I think Fabio I’d expect him to win win Sprints next year Vernon as well three or four or five victories out the

Door a couple at World Tour level the clerk you know one of the stals of the team out the Schmid boli they also won this year van trick developing Belgian Rider he’s the one that it makes very little sense to me that w v trick is allowed to go I can

Understand I can understand a lot of these CER sh to ARA yeah he he seems to be past it yakobson there’s no space davine is retiring mku wants to go with Cav to aana cuz he’s older kavan’s being probably overpaid at moar ballerin stop performing de clerk got an offer he

Couldn’t refuse that little Trek and also I think quickstep W in a position to offer him a contract Styler as well ah doesn’t move the needle for me Vernon I heard is on you know probably got a big offer at Israel but the ones Benji boli Schmid vanrick M aren’t they the

Young 23 24 year olds who are not earning a bomb yet who have still got some upside who you want to keep I agree as in Schmid was definitely the rider where I was looking at okay the first half of the season I would I would know it especially where I was

Like okay this is very helpful and especially the last spot of 2022 where his WS was great but also next to that his was it Montreal if I recall correctly that it was of the two where he had a really good result and that suggests that if he sent this guy to a

Cobble Classico or something he can be that that r i can be in a group ahead and try and benefit in a way that Mato jensson did in in rvv this year for example like they’re not exactly the same Riders but he could play that role that jensson played in that race for

Example and I see so many options is also he he’s half Cobble and half Hill Classics and I think they should have shared it of done my loads of complaining about the fact that he wasn’t sent to both the Cobble Classics and Hill Classics and instead to Bass

Country where he was really good but it’s bass country just isn’t as important as the Cobble Classics for this team and they’re going to be judged on gobble Classics and not on on bass country and that’s also why I’m so fanatic about this entire uh uh thing

But Jolie I feel like I agree that he’s that young Rider but I also feel like he kind of stagnated in the last three years but their second highest points scorer what what sorry butol is their second highest hor what dude look at look at his last 10 days in Italy yeah I

Age at his last 10 days farming Central now listen second In Lombardi is not farming that’s but also F mazada came on his very team in Italian came second in lombardia and then we haven’t seen him for two years yeah and that’s the problemi we we see his Italian Classics

Or Canadian Classics we think here we go Le next year he’s going to be up there for the podium and we didn’t see it this year so I I agree with your point but I also I just looked up I was shocked second in their points scoring yeah

Lombard has what did it it 640 points for getting second at Lombard that that launches you up there and like I don’t see that as very repetitive on a on a yearly basis for baj joli especially if you see the consistency throughout the season he probably had a

Better season than the year before though I I do have to say that but it’s not like he launched past what I hoped he would like three years ago or something when it comes to uh Von yeah he had a he had a good season he’s probably not that expensive yet like

Getting close to D Doran if I recall correctly like I see this as the kind of Rider the kind of Rider that could enter their Cobble team in certain races maybe compete in D London and so forth in addition to some Cobble races to be part of that team

But maybe it’s his decision that he just wanted to go to Alon maybe he thought okay but then again if you’re V thck like if you go to alpus and you’re not going to have that freedom in most of your races you’re going to likely going

To be in a support team for uh they do a pretty broad Belgian semi Classics calendar I’m sure he’ll get his chance there of course in rvv if he makes that team it’s you know it’s for the big boss but yeah I can I can see it I think

There was a period of the Year during this year where they didn’t know what was happening as in management and Riders had to make hard decisions whether to wait or whether to take to to go to another team and I sort of agree with like boli that’s a tough one Schmid I liked

Boli though you got to say you know sign for another team already done and he was still professional enough to be performing at that level at the end of the season that is so I don’t know it’s still that’s a lot of points out the

Door but yeah it’s a lot of them I think are great like Cav sorry he kav is a little bit overrated I wouldn’t have matched what moar offered I agree but about B Joliet also the transfer would probably have been done already in August September maybe early

October at the latest so the last 10 days of his 2023 season wouldn’t have mattered at all for that decision so maybe after those those Italian Classics they might have thought oh we’re missing out here but it’s too late than it yeah for sure that by then it’s too late um

And maybe then little Tre have got a bit of a deal on their hands cuz because they didn’t have to pay for that performance because it would it was done in advance of that but still a lot of experience a lot of famous Riders out

The door I agree with most of them a couple of the young guys particularly Schmid I think we both agree Schmid is one we would have I would have tried to K way if possible how problematics do we see what happened there with the Vegas thingy and the inner team workings is

That who’s at both I think La shouldn’t have mentioned oh laf wrote in his article that Schmid basically during the season sort of pre- Canadian Classics time went to Vegas on like an un I don’t know if he said unsanctioned holiday but when on Vegas on holiday

Didn’t take his bike and then said he lost his bike computer and didn’t train or something and that he’s you know after because he he was already signed to jco and and then put up one Schmid put up one ride on Twitter it’s like so Le fav shouldn’t have you should keep

That in house yeah but also I don’t know Vegas during the year I I don’t necessarily mind someone going on a holiday during the season I don’t know if it will sanction or not which is probably very important as the team should probably know but on the other

End I’m also feeling like lefer made it sound like it was a week long I think it was six or 5 days that he mentioned it was like 3 days in the end so if in 3 days you go on the bike once it wasn’t the longest ride but it’s also

Not the end of the world either in my head yeah it shouldn’t have been blown up that’s the conclusion yeah just just leave it leave it alone a lot of that stuff I mean I love reading it the drama was funny but um we’ll see maybe sometimes these

Things from the team it’s not it’s not just that incident maybe they’ve been working with the young rider for three years and there’s been a few different things that have cropped up and that you know I’m sure if he was 100% trusted by the team and was like the hardest work and most

Professional ever maybe well maybe not it’s LEF after all maybe it doesn’t he doesn’t write that transfers in though we have can you do the can you do your the Belgian Fells Benji I’m not I can’t pronounce name I’ll do the Belgian fellows first and then you can do the uh

The non- Belgian fellows AO bans from Alp and de team which this is the kind of Rider where I don’t know I kind of Stack him as the potential ruler type of rider for the team I don’t know him 100% so don’t take my word for it but when I

Look at his results I’m not saying W this is the biggest talent they’re racking in he’s already 27 but in the races that I did see him he was that early de Clair kind of Rider sometimes so maybe that’s the kind of thing they’re trying to do get a rider

Like that and hope that he can fill up a role like the CTIC did is how I see that but I can’t add much more than that to him wona pretty good talent I recall him being was it top three atop U23 if my memory serves me right

But he’s been good on those National level races in Belgium I think youngster ghost challenge he won ahead of uh let me check Alex seart and um most importantly I I remember this name from there is like there’s this race called ham K where he won ahead of teer so I

Think he he had a lead and then T Sprint into second or something in that race um but that was a one to four Quick Step there because of him so I don’t know pretty solid talent I I think this is an okay signing Jill helders is also a

Pretty good talent as well in the team I think he came from um Bingle then to the de team for some reason when I hear his name I always think about sport Von him but it really isn’t a rer that roote there he want to stage in J next gen so

That shows something H wam W as well wrot a to danda so the man’s been all over the world this year but um yeah just a a good Belgian Talent as well to the team one of the better ones as well from the youngsters William ler we’ve

Had quite a few conversations about this man already William junor ler because he won U23 lombardia he’s done good [ __ ] at lavenir as in top five in lavenir top three on on some Mountain stages he also was top five in the time tral there got four in alas got a in

Jiro NextGen this is a good climber uh a good climby type could potentially be deque for Remco already this year in certain races there was some drama with Lotto back in the day right was that 2022 where Lotto wouldn’t give him a bike and then Le fav stepped in to give him a

Bike for LV yeah when he was leaving the team I think they wouldn’t give him a B I can’t remember but he’s good he’s good I I think the water guy actually has good results those national results I don’t know if they’re scripted races or not but start

Lless like to beat is not all of them okay well he looks pretty good um and yeah LF I think is like to me the St aitt role yeah like he may you send him with Remco to alav as a domestique to cut his teeth in that role and and then

He goes to some other races in to go for his own result like setti Mana so I think he can have a nice program and should be paired with rco I I fully agree there maybe not in every race but already in like the alares like you mentioned that for sure

And then the last Belgian on the list is um yordi wlop he’s the guy that got second in muscot classic for uh I think it was behind y Beerman for sud quickstep which I don’t know why I remember that actually what a race one of the first one first

Yeah one of the first one day races he was supposed to go to B&B or was on B&B and then they yeah they collapsed obviously so um he’s 27 he’s not as young as the other guys he’s sort of uh I think replacing yanx Styler for less

Money is how I see that uh he’s going to be put to work just being a rer being second last third last in lead outs in misg Graces yeah they they need these sort of guys especially with m and yeah and Luke lamperti as well who they

Brought in so we’re going to go to uh some angones well the one angone uh lamper was a probably the most hyped Sprint Prospect coming out of the u23s pure Sprinter from Trinity uh American won loads of races in America uh won uh one ra one stage at jro next gen

Really good first half of the season I was looking at him closely and then lavenir I’m not sure what happened but lavenir and tur of Britain were less good um but still these are young men so he won a lot he won a lot this year

So um yeah very very keen to see how he goes as uh to replace Vernon is it weird to call him the bch Vernon at the moment you just spoil it by saying Vernon but no I I think well yes I think that is weird because I would expect lamper to be as

Good immediately or better okay yeah I I’ll give that then but now now on to your your favorite part of the incoming transfer the the French transfers come on give me your take I actually like these guys I actually I actually like I was L I like magier I can’t say his name

Properly man I like man and I think these guys are good like cons especially antoan Ubi very very consistent throughout the year didn’t win much but always there just about uh in tal SAS and you know who won tural SAS Seck so you got to be good to be

Fifth there uh one Clee Grand Prix shinski just a good looks like a puncher who doesn’t have the real top end climbing like L Surf maybe he beat surf actually in in on PL in Al so I think he’s nice and yeah I think uh man is even better he was also on

Trinity and he came third in Europeans under 23s and um he had some uh other results he had a very very good second year Junior season so he’s younger he this was his first year U23 and he was already competitive at the end of the year in some races so I

Think he’s very good yep I agree with your assessment then to the true but I wonder if this guy is cheap after what happened in his past Johnny mosan from aana I hope so as in honestly I think Johnny moscon can do what the cleric

Did oh I can do more than that if he’s on yeah but that that’s the big if been on in the last [ __ ] decade they nearly won paray at the end of 2021 two years I agree yeah that’s true feels like 10 days 10 years ago

Though it does but it was only two years two years and two months ago he nearly won par re bayra so he’s under 30 years old obviously huge question marks regarding motivation professionalism um but also he wasn’t in the best environment there’s not a lot of writers thriving at aana either at

The moment so quickstep are hoping they can do a quick step Resurrection if there’s a team to do it for a rer like this especially with bratti you know bratti is there who can push him and who’s obviously Italian it’s I think it’s a really really good signing for

Them it makes a lot of sense especially if they’re push for money and especially they need a versti ruler they need a guy who’s helped Egan Bernard win the jured Italia in 2021 that year y also not that long ago he was a very good domestique there versatile domestique so yeah I

Think it’s a really good signing I think so as well it’s kind of like um it depends on how you look at it because obviously he’s got he’s got a history that a lot of people don’t like I don’t like his history either CU he’s done

Some horrible [ __ ] but if we look just at the sportive side of things then it is worth the gamble of trying to get him back to his old self because if you can do that he’s going to be extremely valuable to to this team if you can’t do

That well then you shot and you missed but it probably won’t be the most expensive transfer in the season I would hope for a quick step like how much do you reckon moscon is on in 2024 a man probably still more than he should be I don’t

Know cuz you know he might just he might just pack it in and go farm apples if he just didn’t want to if you just offered him like a 100 I don’t know honestly um Farm app Jesus really yeah I did not know that he’s also called the

Tractor so the tractor leaves and he comes in uh I think a lot a lot of writers are called the tractor in their in their respective languages but yeah I ke to interested to see I think that hope is that he can be like T bote no

Not t bote uh who can you compare him to Janny MOS when he was on inos and good they’re be Janny Moscone on inos exactly is what they’ll be having for uh that’s all the quote unquote not cheap signings maybe lamper is on a little bit more than

Uh than man and Co but mik Lander the big one the big fish the climbing domestique Deluxe that Remco has been asking for coming from Bahrain Victorious he wanted D PLO they wanted D PLO and COV you know what Benji they got someone much better than both of them he

Is M Lander is better than those Riders as a pure climber correct I agree with that he got that’s a big if we’ve got this going on for every transfer at this point now be honest I I think he’s going to be motivated I I like to see the beauty in this world

And I hope thatl steps up because he’s a really good Rider when he does like was it two years ago came third in the jro last year yeah like this guy’s this guy’s pretty damn good like top five in the VTA as well like he got a top five

In every in in a ground Tour on two years in a row now like this guy can be a good domestique but he’d have to kind of transform in the same came fifth in the Welter yes holy [ __ ] he’s had a better grantour GC season than Remco

Yeah dude he was very people talk about Lander like he’s legit fat on the couch and then has like a couple of good races like B on yeah and you look at his PCS and he’s like top 10 every single stage race he did except T and doofan which is

Probably you know the two most important parts of the Season second at Bas country yeah second at Andalucia but let’s be honest about that that was I think he did I think he did a really [ __ ] preparation for the tour okay like he did one two three four

Five six stage races all of which were hard against good competition under Lucia and valenciana are not against scrubs especially under Lucia there’s pogy there he did six stage races to tune up for the tour that’s too much that’s way too much and 85 race days in

The end and still yeah I think um question maybe this is a horrible question but has it MCO in 2023 proven himself enough that land needs to 100% be a domestique in the ground tour that he uh no it’s harsh but but why would they even use Lander like cous or

CR or M why would bit different angle there cuz Okay forget like M cuz people think he’s coming in to be used like Micah but what’s the point why would you go to the why would you go to the tour against pagach and vingard and just put land on the first

Mountaintop finish put Lander on the front and just make him pull till he blows up yeah what’s the point I think you is it weird that I might even consider giving him leadership in one ground tour outside of rco yeah get to the um well jro is no

Good I we’re GNA get on to this yeah actually let’s do it now I think Remco should do the jro to a double and I think land should do the tour of wel to double that makes the most sense to me you you have to forget history look at

The best Parkour possible for the Riders and Remco has to do the tour right he has to do the tour to France but realistically right now he’s at best the third favorite yeah at best for the tour pachu V got clear so and if you

Look at the jro parkour then you look at a parkour that is one where I’m like Co this is a parkour where you can do really well the time trials are there the Mountain Stage are not explosive for mountain mountain stages they they are btech mountain stages because the jir

Was now scared of having a high mountain in their races yep which is understandable somehow but that does to me shout GC Remco at the jro but then the question is I’m going to throw this back to you send them for GC or stages to the tour

And I kind of feel like GC try backup stages yeah I think you go with GC with no with you’re going to there’s always going to be pressure that’s the nature of things but you you go to the tour yeah after the jro and if you’ve done well at the

Jro then there’s less pressure because you just did well at the jro if you had a problem at the jro well now you can sort of resurrect your season and also just to get a feel for the race and he’s still young but it is time to do the

Tour to France and and get amongst it and see how far he can go that’s what Pig’s been doing now I think pitock should have been doing some other World Tour stage races but that pig coock did in 2022 did it in 2023 22 he won the

Stage 23 he stayed really close in GC for quite a while for two weeks that’s still you know part of his development so yeah REM go has to the the tour but especially if and it looks like pagat the murmurings have been he’s not doing the jro especially if pagat

Doesn’t do the jro I think Remco doing it a no-brainer because then you just yeah smash the TTS and then you got to beat G I think Y and defend against yeah so it’s and then Lander DTA he’s obviously Spanish so it’s him and then you also

Then you have Lander and R at the tour you go in both as try and defend your GC positions okay if one guy falls out completely then he has to help the other um if they’re really up there in GC well they go for stages how does Elon Von

Wilder feel about Landa joining and taking away the other gr tours if he had to join said he didn’t want to be a d for Remco all the time yeah that’s true that’s true the thing is I don’t see what what’s like I expect one to maybe

Have leadership in a onee race every now and then like I don’t know just scamping it out there s of Swiss or something but I also feel like One Day races is something I’m looking forward to when it comes to V welder tral varz I don’t see him at the level

Where you can announce one co- leadership at a ground tour at all yet so it’s kind of like what do you see him then because then jro tour as well no no for Van Wilder that’s too much no no no no uh I would probably get him

To I if I was rco I would skip the ardens altitude for jro and I would send Van Wilder and Al Filip to the ardens he’s won Leo twice so you know it’d be nice to defend it but Ico will will ride lb as he won it twice

In a row he’s going to want to be there I think as a a Defending Your Throne kind of way okay but how about winning the jro I think that’s a very good idea personally but I think he’s is going to want to ride lbl anyway you know who was

Quick step’s third highest point scorer God un Wilder probably because yeah otherwise he probably wouldn’t ask but yeah I think if he if he goes the tour Van Wilder with Lander and Remco there well then it’s clear I’m sorry you’re a domistic if you want to go to the tour

You’re a pure domestique you go for the experience whatever but domestic Welter ah it’s a bit Welter whatever go with like Lander doesn’t also deserve someone and he didn’t have it in Bahrain either Bahrain used to go into grand Tours with Jack Lander gooo kuso bilb and legit it’d be like all right

Boys wait wait and ariro doing lead outs for everyone ariro actually really good he know he extended yeah anyway also his bike looks sick the national champ Marita anyway bizar it worked at Bahrain because the team was so transparent about it and also never really asked a rider to sacrifice their own position

For another Rider the rider sort of would just do it themselves if they want like if Jack or Caruso like look at Caruso and the was nowhere in GC he’s like I’ll pull for you guys whatever yeah um so I think like yeah just tell land

The sorry v w is coming you guys just go for your own GC I don’t think that’ be a problem do you think Remco though what do you expect from him with the tour to France he’s going he just went he did a

St no he didn’t do a stra he did a ride that he put on straa with Lon bua in Italy doing the the uh the reconnaissance of the opening Grand de part what do you expect from him if he does the tour I find it hard to see him beat the

Big boys I think that’s a pretty obvious statement a pretty no [ __ ] Sherlock’s statement I just feel like I haven’t he hasn’t proven it to me that he can beat the Top Guns there like I’m thinking he can get fifth or fourth in

GC if he Focus all out of on on the tour of fronts but he’s also not the the most what do you call this non- crash prone Rider he is pretty crash no what is Crash prone is that bad against crash or good against crash crash prone means

You’re you know roit or or okay or he’s pretty crash prone which yeah I find dangerous to predict someone going for GC every single time then like I don’t expect the highest highest two steps I don’t expect it t France Podium I think he can win the jro

You don’t expect to France Podium no and you and you also seem to think unlike what you you think that he’ll do the age than altitude a good prep for the tour and you don’t think T France Podium I don’t think to FR spum he seems to

Get I think stressed before the big stages I don’t know that so like the so then the gravel stage that’s a that’s a lot of stress for everybody and you look at look at Yambo in the in the Cobble stage uh in 2022 they were like clinical right

Clinical in all the the four stages before like vanard just taking you know riding away from everybody doing everything right and then all of a sudden that stage and it wasn’t just the musical chairs bikes that was amazing from from neutral something was off yeah

The whole day and so how do they manage that stress and then you got the mountains afterwards but we saw in the jro 2021 that you know the gravel stage with him and our was a bit of bit of a disaster that could have been a feeding

And we he he already said in his interview with us that he didn’t do the right prep for that race and he should have never been there we all know that but I feel like for me to believe in a tour to France Podium rco needs to be

Competitive against vinga or poacha or or RIT to be able to beat them in a onewe race leading up to that I think he can do that though well roit I I agree but pachu and vinga I don’t see unless they’re he can beat them in Parise well y know that

Parin is like that guy we saw in the restaurant in anwp yeah because his TT is is killer but I agree you know I think he should do he should do parin or tyo probably some guys will do tyo because of the Recons and then he should do yeah

Traditional prep if he’s not going to do um if he’s not going to do the jro like I said then he should yeah make his Twitter France prep as as good as possible I think that the podium is possible I really do like first of all there could be a

Problem with with one or both of the big guys two then okay Adam Yates yeah he’s pretty lethal but UAE will might even send him to win the jro and then you know but yeah it’s it’s untested and and you’re right benj you want to see it in one we races but so

You nailing it down you’re in charge oh yeah I want to say I would love a fight between adam8 and mqu the jro one guy that is Adam in my opinion on certain mountains a better climber while the time tral of Remco will hit Adam Yates

Cuz like yeah I I find like Adam is very different of course because we always know Adam Y is going to win on Jella feed when he arrives there Adam is better in the UA tour he lost time in the cross wins yeah exactly that’s also part of

Racing is it is it weird to say that I trust that it’s more for GC in the in the jro than Remco as in I think weird at all because I think Adam Yates is the third best or fourth best GC contender in the world yeah so

He came he came third and the tour as a dum he’s pretty good so I I don’t think that’s that weird a statement I think he can also fall through the ice too but I think it’d be a really intriguing battle but I I I think

Yeah jro tour makes the most sense to me particularly with Landa coming in and and then land is hey hey we’ve had a a pirate ship next to the coast a pirate ship including Tim Meer the new pirate yeah he’s put he’s throwing his hat in

The ring yeah he stated he stated that he wants to have a conversation with Le faer to write the tour to France boom you know he’s he’s he’s 100% right I agree he is 100% right so first of all we we already said we had the conversation this year it takes pressure off

Remco if there’s a guy who can also get wins in the team secondly most importantly in break formation flat break I I haven’t looked I have looked I can’t remember exactly how many of the medium Mountain stages Breakaway stages or or high mountain stages start with a flat start sprinters

Are really really good at managing break formation on flat starts because you know what it requires a lot of bursts racecraft reading the race making quick split-second decisions I think sprinters are really really good at that leaport uh is particularly good at it so allaf qu to

The France next year ah well no I mean I don’t know about that no but uh I I agree and it’s also jakobson’s leaving is this the first time where we have quickstep where there’s only like one allout Sprinter out there because there’s always been

Two top sprinters in the team eh I feel like two top guys and then a Neo proo yeah yeah now it’s now it feels like it’s one top guy and Neo Pros like the argument why not send him to the jro if if if rco is not going to

Do the jro which I think he probably won’t and you’re sending Van Wilder to the jro or whatever then don’t you send say hey Tim the J is right there for you and it’s got plenty of Sprint stages too it’s it’s an option my argument is

That I think merer makes their tour team better if he’s motivated in good shape get the weight down a little bit climb like I think he can be really useful on the gravel stage really useful and he might even he already he said himself he

Wants to do that that he said me and Berke can be van leberger he was hying up too much I was like let’s sett down a bit he about van leberger like he was Van Hoy on green but I think and Asen I’m not sure how much he wants to do

That I don’t know I feel like Asen will will be willing to do that I I’ve been very tunnel visioned on the jro through double but let’s say for a scenario now that Remco does a toour and not the jro then I would understand why they sent

Meier to the to the J that that would that’s a reasonable compromise I agree but I just I don’t know if I find the tter France GC much more riskier than the J one for MCO but it’s kind of a discuss we had in the

Past you don’t want to put all your chip like it’s good to have a backup plan it’s okay say G something happens with GC maybe even if luck outside your control it’s really nice at least to then say to the sponsors hey we still won two stages though it’s more than

Most teams one two stages is Remco certain enough to Podium that he deserves a full team behind him at the tour FR um as in obviously he’s not godu but he’s also not the obvious third at a tour fron yet for me it’s really tricky in the how do you manage to

Sprint Runnings with merer that’s the problem with sprinters it’s really tricky yeah cuz then if mly is like oh I also want two guys to I want asgr and guys to set me up after 3ks to go so well no we need then pulling Remco to

3ks to go so that’s where it gets really really tricky where AG he’s like of course most sprinters are happy to work for the GC guy on stages which don’t suit them at all where they’re going to get dropped halfway through or breakway is going to win but then when you say to

Them yeah but also on the Sprint stages you have zero lead out then they’re like oh what the [ __ ] um yeah it’s like well I see that you’re not the primary focus here so It’s Tricky yeah like I I think jro jro feels feels likely indeed if rco

Doesn’t do it if Remco does the jro then meria to the tour with good preparation yeah I would tend to agree there it’s just it’s a very stacked program for Remco to do ardens G tour well I just I carved out the ardens yeah I after tour of Flanders he goes to

Altitude to do the jro in my program H doing tour of Flanders who confirmed it it’s happening I just said he well why not he’s one the age yeah winning tour ofers be bigger than winning the age the third time I I agree I would like to see

Him go to rvv but I think they were they were doubting between rvv and MSR or something is what I read at some point um I don’t see him msing sorry I don’t see it yeah yeah I think tanas he could be really really good really like I think

That right suits him really well it’s also earlier than lbl which would also leave more space to do stuff like you mentioned so I I I get that it’s I just feel like he might want to do lbl just for for the sakes of Defending but hey guess we’ll find out

Who else will write the classics outside of well o will that’s for certain Lampard Al FIP said Big Goal he he wants to be back in form and you know his 20202 of Flanders form so those three and they’re all out no except for lampart they’re out of contract moson

Yeah I mean see yeah uh and then I think it’s they’re the main guys aren’t lampart Al Filip Asen and R is the Joker in yeah and like buan and the flat ones M kaser Peterson those wiers could be there try for break formation could be

In that race oner for break formation in certain races like eduard ofon and so forth here’s where they will send lamper when it comes to like the the one the one Classics I feel like he might be valuable too you know I don’t think he’s just a pure Sprinter right he can also

Do some one one Belgian CH GPT generator races was that what you said last time well no no someone the lantern Rouge Discord I can’t remember exactly who just did a yeah chat GPT however you say it generated Belgian semi Classics and the list legit looks

Like the list of your races like textile price it’s just like me light in light industrial uh medium scale Enterprises in the Flanders region they’ll have a race that’s genius so yeah um we haven’t really spoken about Alf Le he’ll be on a lot of money he’s out of

Contract is there anything he can do to salvage this him staying with this team Benji or is he off to a French team regardless and what do you expect from him next year do you think him being up there with pater and vandol and vanard in Tura Flanders is realistic I don’t

I don’t I don’t see it right now yeah I don’t see it either I feel like he’s that right now I feel like he’s that Rider you used to try try and bait other teams out earlier on in the race he’s kind of like your red herring in the

Race is how I see tactics wise put him in groups ahead try and force the others to chase him down cuz I don’t expect him to be there when it matters in the end is how I see it and that’s how I see Al Filipe at the

Moment so he’s off to total is he well well kind of feel like it like it’s sad but that’s how I see it I hope he he FS back but I really I really would like to see him back up there sticking it to everybody in Flanders I really hope he gets back

In that shape so yeah uh okay time for hot takes benie before we do their over unders what’s your hot take uh from this team my hot take from this theme cheese is I always should prepare these but I always forget about preparing hot takes it’s like the one part of the podcast

That I should find my own faults out and nah not happening um my H take is I don’t [ __ ] know melanda this is going to be horrible because mikanda gets a higher GC result at the Tor FR and M Pool not hot take oh

It is it is it is no in Flanders that’s a hot take cuz in Flanders everyone’s like he’s a climbing domestic so I I grant it um yeah I think I think land wins a grand tour next year no [ __ ] sorry but what I was trying to think which one

Then but they’ll probably send him to the jro even though the parkour doesn’t suit him I think you can Podium the jro no problem land and Podium nirro easy I think Mia is the best Sprinter in the world next year is actually one I believe in I also had a merer take

Racking up and I would say that he’s going to win who’s the leader by the way CLE petson um I would use I would use that war guy he’s [ __ ] huge and he’s got like decent 32 absolute power I would use that war kid can at least try him

Out in some races early on like alula or for example but um how many wter races can marlier win is it a hot take when I say he’s going to win 10 I think it’s I was going to say that but I think that’s just too much it’s a hot Tak for a

Reason I’m gonna say 10 because I believe that timer is going to win ham okay he was pretty good actually there this year wasn’t Ken vhim was where they did the yobs and shasat when they sent both of them that’s a special race from them that was probably the

Worst moment of their classic season I think where it was just like what a quick step doing this year yeah um I think both of us are quite high on M wait Johnny mus on podiums rub no he’s not going to do that Johnny Muson V it’s happening it’s happening

Johnny Muson involved in another racial Incident That’s more likely it’s not a hot T sorry um Jesco can Remco be the highest point scorer in 2024 no it’s hard to beat pogy isn’t it y I don’t see it happening yeah um oh yeah Yan h on this team completely forgot about him y

H Beau man I’m hyp for him man ah he’s six in the jro and he won one stage I think and then yeah Quick Step sign him but uh I’m trying to think of a negative hot take a well I I guess my r one was kind of negative even

Though I want too netive I don’t want to be too I’m trying to be I’m trying to be positive I’m new resolution I’m being a going to be positive positive Patrick on the lantern recycling podcast okay world two wins they had 25 or something this year 23 this year how many next year

I’m going to go with 20 and the reason I’m going down is because I I believe they’ll send an M call to the tour frons after doing maybe U tour par do kind of running with lbl because I’m telling you he’s going to lbl I can feel it in my

Head oh I got hot take Remco wins World Championships TT road race and the Olympic road race I agree with the Olympics WS it’s Pacha versus him and Schmid because I my heart Tak still is from yeah you have Schmid winning rco wins all three dude all four

Is there there’s an Olympic time trial oh yeah wins all four your Tank’s not hot enough come on okay yeah he wins all four I think they win 18 I’m going under under a little bit I think I think mer will will win a lot I think Remco will

Win Olympics and World Champs don’t count for that but I think Remco will win five or six really high quality World Tour races but I don’t think they’ll be the same volume yeah cu no tour is what I expect them to do and that’s why I also go lower lower in 20

But I feel like yeah I expect then again Cherney and Vernon getting Roman this I think it’s going to be less yeah but they Vernon’s gone Schmid Boli’s gone [ __ ] it I’m going to go 17 I changed oh you went under a I went 18 you went 17

Okay I think it’s I am very interested to see how this team is next year cuz like a team like UAE it’s going to be the same again next year Yambo rooll out yeah but yeah trying to win the Tour of vingard I don’t know what quickstep schedule

Really looks like we’ve said many iterations of what it could be they had a tumultuous offseason I’m really interested to see how this team shapes up and lines up in February and what that classic looks like that will be a very good race start looks ridiculous it looks

Ridiculous so recovering it in some shape or form or is that a spoiler uh I mean if it’s got like too many big guns I think my hand will be will be forced and we’ll have to cover it but it depends um I don’t know yes November see their schedules first but

Yeah I’m really really to see how quickstep shapes up and I think it’s a team to watch and it’s a team I want to see keep going and and keep being strong up there and keep performing and it’s it’s don’t want them to be uh I just want them to get to get

Sponsors and be successful yes see okay oh I do have another hot take oh God fora takes over next year balar sees fora think pretty sharp in I don’t necessarily like I I regardless of the that’s just a prediction of what could have I already felt like there might still be

Relationship Evolutions in the coming year when it comes to bakala so it might go up maybe it completely collapses in 2024 which I hope not but um cycling so fragile that I’m scared yeah okay that’s all from us uh we’ll be seeing you next with a DSM

Preview and then I think we’re doing moar as well so we’re rocking through them hope you’ve enjoyed them DM po L DSM poon L um forgot Luke’s favorite [Laughter] company all right thanks very much for listening as always everybody and we’ll see you with that DSM postl preview in

The next one till then ciao