Keisse to join De Ketele for World Cup Madison
Quick Step's newest recruit to target Track Worlds selection in Colombia
New Quick Step signing Iljo Keisse will compete in a busy schedule of events at the third round of the International Cycling Union's (UCI) track World Cup this week in Cali, Colombia.
Het Nieuwsblad reports that the 26-year-old Belgian will return to World Cup competition for the first time since the Manchester round of the series in 2008, and will compete in the points race, Madison and team pursuit. He has made the journey to South America in order to qualify for next year's track World Championships, which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark in March.
Keisse will join Kenny De Ketele for the Madison, reuniting the pair that finished fourth in the same event at last year's Beijing Olympics. The duo will then combine with Steve Schets and Ingmare De Poortere for the team pursuit.
Schets is scheduled to also compete in the scratch race, while De Poortere will race the 4000 metre individual pursuit.
Keisse's presence at the World Cup will means he will miss this week's Quick Step training camp in Calpe, Spain. He confirmed a one-year contract with the ProTour team on Monday and has planned to compete in the Track World Championships before racing with the Belgian squad on the road from March onwards.
Keisse's first event in Colombia will be the points race on Thursday. Headed into the third of four World Cup rounds, Belgium currently sit 15th on the overall team standings.
1 | Australia | 210 | pts |
2 | Great Britain | 199 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Germany | 189 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Netherlands | 131 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | China | 103 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | New Zealand | 94 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Team Jayco | 92 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Team Sky + Hd | 81 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Russia | 77 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Ukraine | 69 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Poland | 61 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Spain | 59 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Italy | 54 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | France | 52 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Belgium | 46 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Lithuania | 45 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Greece | 35 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Cofidis | 32 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Czech Republic | 30 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Denmark | 28 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Japan | 27 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Belarus | 25 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | United States | 24 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Hong Kong | 16 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Switzerland | 16 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Korea | 15 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Hong Kong Pro Cycling | 14 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Malaysia | 14 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Azzurre | 11 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Bike Technologies Australia | 10 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Cuba | 10 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Rodin | 10 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Alks Stal Grudziaduz | 10 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Katyusha | 9 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Lokomotiv | 9 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Proman Racing Team | 8 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Verducci Breakaway | 8 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Austria | 8 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Moscow Track Team | 7 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Ireland | 7 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Verducci Breakaway | 7 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Argentina | 6 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Us Creteil | 4 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Mexico | 3 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Grace Institute | 3 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Chinese Taipei | 1 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
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