Czech Classics rider to lead and mentor young talents
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Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep) wins Omloop Het Nieuwsblad(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-Quickstep) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/Getty Images Sport)
Zdenek Stybar on the way to winning the 2019 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zdenek Stybar (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Chantal Blaak (Boels Dolmans) win the elite titles at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zdenek Stybar is a favourite for the 2019 Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zdenek Stybar has signed a new two-year contract with Deceuninck–QuickStep, continuing his role in the Belgian team's Classics squad while also helping and mentoring the team’s younger talents.
Stybar will be 34 in December but won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and E3 Harelbeke this spring and helped his teammates to success in others races, confirming his own ability and his generosity as a teammate. Deceuninck–QuickStep won 77 races in 2018 and have already won 41 races this season.
Stybar is a former world cyclo-cross champion but successfully transferred to road racing in 2011 when he joined Patrick Lefevere’s set-up. The Czech rider has also won Strade Bianche and a stage at the Tour de France. He is on Deceuninck–QuickStep’s long list for this year’s Grande Boucle.
"Extending my contract means a lot to me. I have a great relationship with everybody in the team and I’m happy that they always believed in me. They are like a second family and it’s a real pleasure to be staying for two more years," Stybar said in an announcement from Deceuninck-QuickStep, also posting a photo with Lefevere on social media.
"I am hoping that these will be the best two years of my career and I will be really happy to be spending them with the Wolfpack and mark a decade – a third of my life – with this amazing squad."
Lefevere admitted he has a limited budget for 2020 but moved quickly to keep Julian Alaphilippe, with the Frenchman signing a new deal on June 1.
Stybar is another cornerstone of the team but Lefevere has yet to decide if he keeps veteran Philippe Gilbert and sprinter Elia Viviani. The Italian has been linked to Cofidis, while Enric Mas is widely expected to join Movistar, with Deceuninck–QuickStep expected to give more responsibility to young talents Remco Evenepoel, Kasper Asgreen, Alvaro Hodeg and Fabio Jakobsen.
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"Keeping hold of Zdenek means a lot to us. He is one of our experienced riders, who can do everything and whose contribution can be seen in many of the team’s results throughout a season," Lefevere said.
"He is a winner and has the instinct and knowledge of how to take victories, which is always happy to share with our younger guys. And the tireless and selfless work that he does for others is immense. That’s the kind of attitude we value."
