Quick Step  - 2009 Presentation
 Patrick Lefevere's team moves into 2009, stronger with 12 new riders for the white & blue wrecking crew -  27 riders strong sure to be seen at the front of races from the Spring Classics to the race of the falling leaves in October.

Photos By Yoni Peeters

The team lines up behind fashion photographer Henk Van Cauwenbergh portraits of the team taken earlier in Antwerp. The photos will be auctioned by the team at the end of the season for a charity initiative. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters
more info on the photos and charity below

The 2009 Quick Step team was presented at the Park Kennedy Hotel in Kortrijk, Belgium. Patrick Lefevere's team has been the strongest overall in the past 5 years and a model of consistency at taking wins at the highest level in both classics and stage races although better known as the ultimate classics team, and, "most likely" to be seen at the front of a race leading Tom Boonen to the finish with the white and blue train dominating the front.

The new squad fields 27 riders from 7 different countries and have been preparing for a record season in 2009; 13 Belgians, 6 Italians, 2 Frenchmen, 2 Dutchmen, 1 Australian, 1 Danish rider, 1 Spanish rider and 1 Swiss. Tom Boonen alreaddy opened the season with a stage win and his third gold jersey as victor of the Tour of Qatar this week.

Tom Boonen is introduced.  "I feel great. I worked really hard during the winter weeks and kept my both ambition and hunger to race very high." Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

The goals of the team as usual, will be the Belgian classics, the Tour of Flanders, Paris Roubaix and "Tornado" Tom leading the team in the tour de France in the maillot vert iof sprint points leader adding more stage wins to his already staggering palmares.  High on "Super" Tom's list of priorities will be taking home another cobble from the roads of the Paris-Roubaix along with the green jersey in 2009; though he admitted winning the Tour of Flanders is would be very satisfying this year.

"Winning Milan-Sanremo is of course a dream, but it is never easy. Should I come up with one classic anyway, I rather prefer a third victory in Flanders. "That race means the most to me, emotionally, especially with all those thousands of Belgian fans along the course. Flanders is me is the race that suits me best."

When asked about his other targets he said, "I'll try and win a stage in the Tour and maybe grab the green jersey as well. I would like to ride a really good year, with a couple of peak moments. Including the Belgian championships. Despite the strenuous course in Aywaille, I don't think I don't stand a chance."

Sylvain Chavanel (formerly Cofidis) - Marco Velo (formerly Milram)
Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

Perhaps the most interesting new additions to the team are Sylvain Chavanel and Marco Velo.

Marco Velo, part of the blue train of Milram and a top sprinter in his own right adds additional speed for the Quick Stepping white and blue train and another option for Lefevere to play for stage and race wins.

A smiling Sylvain Chavanel after winning his first Tour de France stage, and 7th pro victory in 2008. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

French rider Sylvain Chavanel has continued to improve his results over the past years, in 2008 he chalked up 11 victories.  He did well in Spring winning the Brabantse Pijl, Dwars door Vlaanderen, following up with double wins in tthe French championships in the ITT and Road race; stage wins in Paris-Nice, Tour de France, Tour Méditerranéen and Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. At 29 years of age, Chavanel is just coming into maturity as a rider.

Sylvain is an exciting rider often animating the race in breaks, he  may prove to be the Quick Steps best bet to back for a victory in the general classification win this year. Either way the French rider will carry the hopes of his countrymen for an even more impressive showing in 2009 and a guy to keep your eye on this year.

Sebastien Rosseler  Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

Sebarstien Rosseler had a great 2008 season with ITT victory in the Eneco Tour. 2009 can be a breakout year Belgian rider given the opportunity.

The team revealed, stand under their portraits. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

New to the team, Belgians: Kevin de Weert - Steven de Jongh and Dominique Cornu. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

The team also contracted four new Belgians: Kevin De Weert comes over from Cofidis; Dominique Cornu and Dries Devenyns have signed from Silence-Lotto and Kurt Hovelijnck moves up from the continental squad, Topsport Vlaanderen.

The team in white and blue poses for a group picture. Photo © 2009 Yoni Peeters

2009 Quick Step Team Riders

New for 2009: Sylvain Chavanel, Dries Devenyns, Kurt Hovelijnck and Francesco Reda, Davide Malacarne, and Hubert Schwab, Dominique Cornu, Dario Cataldo, Marco Velo, Kevin Deweert

Team portrait

Quick Step Team Staff

Team Website: www.quickstepcycling.com

sponsors:
Quick Step Laminate Flooring
Innergetic - Latexco  Foam Mattress cores
Specialized Bikes - Tarmac SL2 and Roubaix models
Vermarc Sports  Team Jerseys,Clothing
Peugeot Cars
Harvest Sportswear Casual team wear

A Helping hand from Quick Step
Team Quick Step is also very active in the community. During the winter period the team organised a photo shoot with the well-known Fashion photographer Henk Van Cauwenbergh at Antwerp.

Van Cauwenbergh photographed in black and white the team’s athletes in fascinating poses with the objective of capturing on film the spirit and force of each individual highlighting their personalities. Particular attention was paid to the athletes eyes. The 27 portraits of the Quick Step athletes were then transferred onto large canvases and framed becoming pictures in order to be visible to as many people as possible.

After being exhibited at the Velo Follies at Kortrijk the 27 pictures will be accompanying the team during the principal races of the professional cycling calendar on a sort of ‘Road Show’. “We want to create a kind of “travelling gallery” in order that as many people as possible have the opportunity of seeing the portraits and therefore our athletes in a completely different light – team manager Patrick Lefevere explained - A further 28th canvas will be on display explaining the project and instructions for taking part in the auction in the hotels that we will be staying in during the season. After having accompanied the team in the main European races, the works of art will be auctioned off with proceeds going to charity after the Giro di Lombardia”

The money raised at the auction will be donated to the parents of the little girl Zita Deweghe. Thanks to all of those that take part in the auction Zita, who was born a year ago with hearing problems, will be able to undergo an operation that will , for the first time ever, enable her to hear her parents voices. Each work of art will be autographed personally by the athlete concerned and will be presented to the auction winners in a special event to be organised at the end of the cycling season.
Details and instructions for participating in the auction will be detailed on the team's site in the weeks before the auction.  You can view a slide show presentation of the dramatic photos here.

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Quick Step Spring Campaign Schedule
February
08/02 12/02 Trofeo Mallorca ESP
13/02 15/02 Giro della Provincia di Grosseto ITA
15/02 22/02 Tour of California USA
18/02 22/02 Volta ao Algarve POR
21/02 22/02 Tour du Haut Var FRA
28/02 28/02 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad BEL
28/02 28/02 Gran Premio delle Insubria ITA

March
01/03 01/03 GP di Lugano ITA
01/03 01/03 Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne BEL
04/03 04/03 Le Samyn BEL
06/03 08/03 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen BEL
07/03 07/03 Eroica ITA
08/03 15/03 Paris-Nice FRA
11/03 17/03 Tirreno - Adriatico ITA
18/03 18/03 Nokere koerse BEL
21/03 21/03 Milaan - San Remo ITA
22/03 22/03 Campina Ronde van het Grone Hart NED
25/03 25/03 Dwars door Vlaanderen BEL
28/03 28/03 E3 Prijs Vlaanderen BEL
29/03 29/03 De Brabantse Pijl BEL
31/03 02/04 KBC Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde BEL

April
05/04 05/04 Ronde van Vlaanderen BEL
06/04 11/04 Vuelta al País Vasco ESP
08/04 08/04 Gent - Wevelgem BEL
09/04 09/04 GP Pino Cerami ITA
12/04 19/04 Tour of Turkey TUR
12/04 12/04 Paris-Roubaix FRA
15/04 15/04 Scheldeprijs BEL
19/04 19/04 Amstel Gold Race NED
22/04 22/04 Fleche Wallonne BEL
26/04 26/04 Luik-Bastenaken-Luik BEL
28/04 03/05 Tour de Romandie SU