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Quick-Step Floors lead with Jungels and Gilbert at Volta ao Algarve

By Cycling News

published 12 February 2018

Belgian team looks to add to early-season successes

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Philippe Gilbert entertains his teammates as they sign on(Image credit: RCS)

Bob Jungels signs on(Image credit: RCS)

Petr Vakoc, Laurens De Plus and Bob Jungels with Quick-Step trainer Koen Pelgrim(Image credit: Bob Jungels)

Philippe Gilbert talks about his crazy dream to win all five Monuments(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step Floors)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Quick-Step Floors are the most successful team in the peloton at the moment, winning stages at both the Dubai Tour and the Colombia Oro y Paz. The Belgian team will look to add to its growing list of successes at this week's Volta ao Algarve, a race where it has dominated in the past.

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After winning 13 stages with 10 different riders in recent years, including two stages in 2017, Quick-Step Floors will look to Bob Jungels and Philippe Gilbert to continue their streak this year.

Jungels, 24, will be making his debut in this race, “but I’m not going there only as part of a preparation campaign. I will grab all the opportunities I can, I feel good and looking over the course, it’s a race that suits me,” he said in a team press release.

“I don’t know if I can compete for the general classification, it’s still too early to say that, but as you could see in Murcia, my form is good and that’s all that matters.” The Luxembourg national road champion opened his season at the Vuelta a Murcia, where he finished seventh overall.

Philippe Gilbert was also at Murcia, finishing third. He won a stage in the Volta ao Algarve in 2011.

The two will be supported by Yves Lampaert, Maximilian Schachmann, Florian Senechal, Pieter Serry and Zdenek Stybar.

The five-day Volta ao Algarve clashes with both the Ruta del Sol and the Tour of Oman but has attracted a world-class field with Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), Richie Porte (BMC Racing) and Daniel Martin (UAE Team Emirates) on the start list.