Deceuninck rider revels in unpredictable racing and challenging route
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Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors) wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bob Jungels in the Luxembourg champion's jersey(Image credit: Sigfrid Eggers)
Bob Jungels (Quick-Step Floors)(Image credit: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images Sport)
Bob Jungels wears custom Ekoi sunglasses, which match his Luxembourg national champion's kit(Image credit: Josh Evans/Immediate Media)
Bob Jungels (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) will target the Giro d'Italia in 2019 with hopes of continuing his successful relationship with the race. The 26-year-old wore the maglia rosa in 2016 and finished sixth overall. He returned a year later to claim another top-10 finish with eighth in the overall standings and another spell in the leader's jersey. In 2018, he focused on the Tour de France, and finished 11th in Paris.
"I love the Giro, it's a beautiful and challenging race which always forces you to push beyond your limits, and I love the fans who cheer for us and give such a warm welcome every single time, making it an unforgettable and overwhelming experience," Jungels said in a press release issued by his team.
"That's why I am beyond excited to return there in May together with the Wolfpack, discover new towns and climbs, and hopefully help enhance our palmares."
In his previous two editions of the Giro d'Italia, Jungels also won the best young rider's competition. He is now ineligible for the competition but with a glut of time trial kilometres in this year's edition of the race, the Luxembourg rider has a parcours that should suit him and another possible tilt at the GC.
"It's quite an interesting course, especially for those that are strong in the time trials. The first week doesn't seem to be that hard at first, but some of the stages look unpredictable. There aren't many where you can say that a climber or a sprinter will definitely win, and so they will be a gamble, which is the kind of racing that I like.
"That's the great thing about the Giro - it isn't such a controlled race as say something like the Tour - and that suits me, especially as the route is open, with tough climbs as Gavia and Mortirolo, but also almost 60 kilometers of time trialling."
The Deceuninck - Quick-Step rider will make his season debut at the Tour Colombia from February 12-17.
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