Remco Evenepoel saved Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's spring with a lone victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liège last weekend. The 22-year-old attacked over the top of the Côte de la Redoute and rode away from the reduced peloton to win by almost a minute.
The Belgian team that so regularly dominates the one-day races that define April and hogs the sports pages in Belgian newspapers hadn't won since Fabio Jackobsen sprinted to victory at KuurneBrussels-Kuurne at the end of February Milan-Turin, won by Mark Cavendish, is not considered a bona fide Spring Classic.
In the three other Monuments ridden so far - Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix - their best placed finisher was Yves Lampaert in 10th at Roubaix. At Flanders, last year's winner Kasper Asgreen was their best, in 23rd.
After Jackobsen's win at semi-Classic Kuurne, it is their worst run of Classics results in some 20 years. The Flanders result was especially difficult to swallow; having won the race three times in the last six years they were nowhere to be seen as Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel dominated the finale. The last time Quick Step failed to place a rider in the top 10 there was 2013.
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CLASSIC BIKE - JOHNNY BERRY
Johnny be good at making beautiful lightweight bikes
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Newly crowned junior hill-climb champ shows his versatility by winning round seven on the mud
WATT WORKS FOR ME TADEJ POGAČAR
The man himself - subject of this special issue - explains the key performance changes behind his record-breaking year
11 WAYS TO POG-UP YOUR PLAN
Tadej Pocačar's performance is out of reach but you can adapt his training to raise your game. Chris Marshall-Bell consults the experts to find out how
Why do modern aero bikes look less aero?
Are today's aero bikes really faster, or is marketing just getting better? Joe Baker investigates...
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
An Olympic year is always special and the cycling season once again delivered a year of highs and lows, from Pogi's triple to Katie Archibald's pre-Olympic trip
MEET THE PARENTS
What made Tadej Pogačar the phenomenon he is today? Chris Marshall-Bell went to Slovenia to meet his mum and dad, Mirko and Marjeta
HALF MAN HALF GOAT
Tadej Pogačar may have had a phenomenal season, but has he done enough to cement his status as the greatest of all time? Chris Marshall-Bell weighs the arguments for and against
Lefevere cashes in his chips and leaves cycling management
The news that Patrick Lefevere will step down as Quick Step boss marks the end of an era, after 22 years in charge
Mathieu van der Poel weighs up skipping Tour de France
Dutchman hints at missing Tour in favour of mtb Worlds bid, reports Tom Thewlis from Dénia, Spain
