The UCI World Tour Soudal – Quick Step team from Belgium was the first European team to arrive this Wednesday in San Juan, Argentina, to participate in the 39th Tour of this city, led by the defending champion and title holder of the world Remco Evenepoel.
The cast arrived with their technical staff added to their six cyclists confirmed for the race: Remco Evenepoel, Fabio Jakobsen -the European champion who will debut in San Juan-, Michael Morkov, Jan Hirt, Pieter Serry and Yves Lampaert. It is an experienced squad with two candidates to win the general classification: Evenepoel and Jakobsen.
The top figure of ‘los lobos’ reiterated upon arrival a couple of phrases that he had already made public about his satisfaction at returning to San Juan, where he made his professional debut in 2019 (he won the sub23 mesh) and where he won his first race UCI Pro Series in the 2020 edition. “I am very happy to return to San Juan, I am looking forward to meeting cycling fans again”
For Soudal – Quick Step, the Vuelta a San Juan 2023 will be the team’s fifth participation in the competition. And for the champion Remco it will be his third time in the fair. And about the team, it is worth mentioning that in 2022 it finished sixth in the world ranking with 47 wins.
The delegation arrived in good condition and looking forward to the start of the race. This Thursday they enjoyed training sessions on the San Juan routes, waiting for the Vuelta. The arrival of the remaining teams of the 39th Tour of San Juan 2023 – UCI Pro Series will be next week.
First day of training
Champion Remco Evenepoel wore his special jersey for the first time on the San Juan routes. After arriving in San Juan, this Thursday Soudal – Quick Step held the first training session en route.
The UCI World Tour team, which will try to defend the crown in the Vuelta a San Juan, trained in the morning. They started at 9 am and the six cyclists were part of the activity.
Evenepoel, Jakobsen, Morkov, Lampaert, Hirt and Serry toured the western sector of the City of San Juan. From the capital city they headed towards Rivadavia. They traveled to Ullum Dam and then to Punta Negra Dam, returned via Zonda, again via Rivadavia until they reached the concentration hotel. The total was 79 kilometers.
The cyclists showed good feelings in their training. That was very good considering the long plane trip they took until they reached San Juan, where everything begins!
This route will be part of the sixth stage of the Vuelta a San Juan. The race will be held on Saturday 28; He will start and finish in front of the new Vicente Alejo Chancay velodrome in Pocito.
Source: www.vueltaasanjuan.org