'I'm not feeling beaten before the start' - Soudal-QuickStep cling to faith for Tour of Flanders

Soudal-QuickStep
Patrick Lefevere and his Soudal-QuickStep team before the Tour of Flanders. (Image credit: Getty)

Like all religious holidays, the Tour of Flanders has its holy places and its rituals. Some of the sacred sites are obvious, like the Kwaremont, the Paterberg or the Grote Markt in Bruges. Others, like the laminate flooring showroom in Wielsbeke, are more esoteric.

QuickStep has been sponsoring Patrick Lefevere’s team for over two decades, and its headquarters eventually began doubling as the location for the squad’s pre-race press conference. In time, the Friday afternoon pilgrimage to this industrial park just off the N43 near Waregem simply became a part of the rhythm of the Ronde.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.