Some would say that the 2019 season only really kicked off with the start of the Spring Classics in Belgium this past weekend, with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on the Saturday, followed the next day by Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne.
Deceuninck-QuickStep, of course, won both races, thanks to a resurgent Zdenek Stybar and the ever-improving Bob Jungels, respectively. The Belgian WorldTour team's dominance was all-consuming, and the other teams are going to have to find a way to beat them – and fast, as the races were also a chance to see how team leaders and their squads might fare at northern Europe's two biggest races in early April: the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Here, then, are Cyclingnews' takeaways from the 2019 Opening Weekend.
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Trek-Segafredo need a spark
On Friday evening, ahead of the Opening Weekend racing, a measured-yet-confident Steven de Jongh expressed sincere belief in his Trek-Segafredo riders' ability to win a Classic. His words were built on logic; after all, John Degenkolb has two Monuments to his name and is once again a threat; Jasper Stuyven has the necessary weapons in his arsenal; and Mads Pedersen – although still a work in progress – clearly has the talent, too.
However, within 24 hours of De Jongh's pledge, Trek-Segafredo's spring campaign was on the ropes. It wasn't hard to feel sympathy for De Jongh, who, although shell-shocked after his riders' dismal performances, at least had the courage to provide a frank assessment of the team's performance. To do so without throwing anyone under the bus took restraint.
The team failed to post a rider in the top 39 at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and the same pattern inevitably followed the next day at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, with Edward Theuns their highest finisher in 14th. Only one other rider finished. While some teams could point to major crashes – like Lotto Soudal – or to illness – as Dimension Data did – Trek-Segafredo were simply off the pace.
Dimension Data get a pass
— KuurneBrusselKuurne (@KuurneBxlKuurne) March 3, 2019
— Team Dimension Data (@TeamDiData) March 3, 2019
Deceuninck-QuickStep: The Team Sky of the cobbles
Peter Sagan and a stronger opposition can spoil Lefevere's party
CCC justify putting almost all their eggs in the Van Avermaet basket
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/5-conclusions-from-the-2019-opening-weekend
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