The build-up to the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix is clearly passing over cobbled roads for the Quick-Step Floors team of manager Patrick Lefevere. The team already captured 17 victories this season with nine different riders. Still, one week ahead of the Ronde there must be some doubts on how to tackle the upcoming Monuments. Being undoubtedly the strongest team for the classics, they're fighting up against two strong individual forces in the spring classics.
With one win in the spring classics since the Belgian opening weekend, the Belgian team will not be satisfied. As team manager Patrick Lefevere said at the finish after Gent-Wevelgem: "We don't ride for podium spots; we ride to win."
During Sunday's Gent-Wevelgem race, the team had the numbers in front during the final 30 kilometres but they failed to convert it in a win. First they had three men in the front group of fourteen riders, shortly after the Kemmelberg. Then, with twenty kilometres to go, the group got reduced to five men when Keukeleire attacked. Only Niki Terpstra survived that selection. Not being the fastest man up front and having Gaviria and Boonen in the main group, the Quick-Step team was limping on two thoughts. In the end, Terpstra was playing a game of poker with Sagan and both riders got dropped from the group. The peloton fell six seconds short to sprint for the victory.
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Afterwards, Nikki Terpstra was blamed by Peter Sagan for 'playing a very cheap game'. Tom Boonen didn't agree. The 36-year-old Belgian rider felt Terpstra didn't make a mistake.
"They were being a couple of donkeys, checking out who was keeping cool. Nikki didn't fail. Sagan failed. If you're Sagan and you're in such a situation, you always have to react. It's the only man who lost the race today. Nikki didn't lose the race. He was there, trying to win the race. It's up to Sagan to react at that moment. If you're the strongest rider and the world champion," Boonen said.
He was disappointed that the team was unable to more with their numerical advantage. "It's a pity because we had the right guy up front, although if you're not winning then it wasn't the right man. It's someone who can win a race. There was a misunderstanding about whether to co-operate or not. That's why those two were able to ride away. Nikki was doubting for a moment. It's was a misunderstanding because I said that he should ride along. I said he should try something in the final kilometres. Then we lost communication with each other, also with the car. It's a pity when you see the result, knowing that you were up there with seven men in the two groups," Boonen said.
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