Etixx – Quick-Step will be spearheaded at the Tour of Lombardy this weekend by the 2014 winner Dan Martin and Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe.
24 year-old Alaphilippe has shown that he is in good form having taken the silver medal at the European Championships recently in Plumelec in addition to finishing in 10th place at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal.
In addition to his win in 2014, Dan Martin has had three other top ten placings at Il Lombardia including 2nd place in 2011 behind Oliver Zaugg and 4th in 2013 so it’s a race that clearly suits him.
The pair will be supported at the final Monument of the season by a strong team. A stage winner at both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España in 2016, Gianluca Brambilla will ride Il Lombardia for the seventh year in a row and will be motivated to leave a mark on his home race.
Rounding out the team for the season’s final Monument are neo-pro Laurens De Plus, Vuelta a España stage victor David De La Cruz, Pieter Serry, Zdenek Stybar and Petr Vakoc, who impressed with his recent string of results in the one-day races.
“The parcours is really hard, one of the toughest of the season in one-day races. We have a strong and balanced team, with Dan Martin, Julian Alaphilippe and Gianluca Brambilla all capable of featuring in the finale”, said Directeur Sportif Davide Bramati.
“The race will start on the Valcava climb, while Sant’Antonio Abbandonato and Miragolo San Salvatore are very likely to make a big selection later in the race before the finale, that promises to be an exciting one. All these hills will turn Lombardia into an elimination race, one in which only the riders in top condition will have a chance.”
