Arguebly, Quickstep was the best performing team in 2005. “Wholesalers” Boonen and Bettini were responsible for many memorable wins. Paolini and Pozzato were both responsible for the needed addition in points, with many top 10 placings in different races.
This former Mapei team is now Belgian, but doesn’t really look it because of the many nationalities in the team. Teammanager Lefevre is happy though, so it’s easy for the other riders, as long as they provide their top guns the needed support.


World champ Boonen doesn’t need an introduction as a top sprinter and a man for the northern classics. He is so popular locally that he opted to live in Monaco to get some peace and quiet. Neither does Bettini, since he’s outgrown his former “master” Bartoli. He’s won the worldcup, is the man to watch out for in the classics, can help Boonen in the sprints, or can sprint himself. He might even lead the squad in the Giro as well. The collaboration with Boonen doesn’t always work out well. A few misunderstandings in 2005 will now be solved by part of Petacchi’s train. Matteo Tossato (Fassa) is used to keep up the tempo in the final stages, so who better to lead out Boonen in the sprints? So surely no more mess ups there.


The Belgian team did lose their second sprinter Paolini (Liquigas), but manage to hold on to Pozzato. Also fast in finishing, this team haven’t lost their power to dominate the classics and do well in the smaller tours. If you look at the line-up, this team heavily invests in classic racing. Guys like Nuyens, Knaven, Tankink, Baguet (Davitamon) and Vasseur (Cofidis) are all potential winners there. Some of them will support Juan Manuel Garate (Saunier Duval) in the Tour de France or Vuelta a España as well.


Quickstep even has some backup for the sprints. Young Chicchi (Fassa) might prove to be a useful sprinter. American Trenti has always been fast anyway and new signing De Jongh (Rabo) will ensure Quickstep’s succes in the smaller tours. Speaking of the tours, they must be glad to be able to get Garate, because they did lose one candidate in the big races, Michael Rogers, to T-Mobile. To make matters worse, also Patrik Sinkewitz went to the same German team. Mercado, their Vuelta 2005 protagonist, left for Agritubel and former Italian champ Moreni wanted to get to a warmer climate. He moved house to France where he’ll find a new home with Cofidis. Verbrugghe followed him there. Like Mercado, Spaniard Pecharromán (Communidad Valenciana) was probably fed up with all the Belgian criticism and glad to leave after a disappointing 2005.


They did manage to sign 2005 Giro d’Italia star Rujano( 2 wins), only problem being he won’t ride for the team until the 2006 Giro is over. That was part of the deal Quickstep made with Colombia – Selle Italia. So Rujano will only be seen in the Giro 2007, wearing the Quickstep colours. Rujano does bring one of his old teammates as well: Scarselli. Ivan Santaromita is one of the young promising Italians, Lefevre will closely watch him in his developement this season.


We must admit that Quickstep has lost a few very good riders to the competition. No doubt though that this team will sign for many wins this season because they do have the current World Champion in their midst!


Additions to the team:
Serge Baguet, Francesco Chicchi, Matteo Tosatto, Steven de Jongh, Remmert Wielinga, Juan Manuel Garate, José Rujano, Leonardo Scarselli, Hubert Schwab, Kevin van Impe, Jurgen Van de Walle, Geert Verheyen, Cédric Vasseur, Ivan Santaromita


Left the team:
Mads Christensen, Dimitri de Fauw, Juan Miguel Mercado, Cristian Moreni, Luca Paolini, José Antonio Pecharromán, Michael Rogers, Patrik Sinkewitz, Jurgen van Goolen, Rik Verbrugghe, Stefano Zanini