Car trouble

Things are not going well for world-domination-seeking Quick-Step. So far the team has not scored any points in the World Tour -Steegmans won Nokere Koerse, but that wonderful race is not part of the said Tour- and that means the Quick-Step car will be at the end of the caravan next Sunday at Gent-Wevelgem. Position 18 or higher!

Quick-Step will have to ride in the back

If you've ever been in a caravan following a race you know that that is not good. You want to be in the first 10. Otherwise, not only is it impossible to follow what goes on in the race -you're better off in front of your TV at home- but when your riders are in trouble, they either have to wait a very long time, or you have to try make your way through 18+ cars on country roads that are barely wide enough for one car.

If the unfortunate team does not score any points in the upcoming Gent-Wevelgem race, the car will be in 18th or higher for the Ronde van Vlaanderen and that would be a real disaster. The Ronde has so many narrow poor roads that moving ahead in the caravan is next to impossible. Furthermore, these stretches are where it is at. If you get stuck there your race is effectively over. So keep your fingers crossed this weekend and hope for the best. Otherwise Tommeke and friends will be in dire straits.

Koppenberg, getting one car through is hard enough