Soudal Quick-Step entered the Münsterland Giro on Tuesday with Tim Merlier as their leader, but ultimately none of the seven riders from the Belgian team managed to cross the finish line. Sport director Geert Van Bondt witnessed much of his team encountering difficulties, leading him to describe it as a "complete off day" when speaking with IDLProCycling.com.
It was a rather disheartening scene: while approximately sixty riders were completing laps through Münster's city center, Soudal Quick-Step was already packing up their equipment. The seven team members had to abandon the race in Germany for various reasons, allowing their bus to depart much earlier than other competing teams.
Sport director Van Bondt bid farewell to Rémi Cavagna and Stan Van Tricht in Münster, both of whom were involved in a significant crash at the 120-kilometer mark. "We heard about the crash, and then we saw on TV that three or four of our riders were down," he mentioned, including Lars Craps and Josef Cerny. "That's more than half of the team, so it's not a favorable situation. We had just started our pursuit to close the gap, but the race was effectively over for us from that point onward."
"From that moment on, we only had Tim Merlier and Bert Van Lerberghe remaining, with Tim still in the leading group. However, he signaled to us that he wasn't feeling at his best, and the same was true for Bert," explained Van Bondt, who thankfully reported that his riders had no fractures. "It was indeed a complete off day. Fortunately, they are in good medical condition, so that's another piece of good fortune."
Undoubtedly, merger-related issues also had an impact in Germany. The motivation was there from everyone, considering all the developments taking place at the moment. That was the most crucial aspect for me," stated the sports director. He had the opportunity to watch the Tre Valli Varesine race as well since his riders were no longer in the competition. It was during this time that he saw Ilan Van Wilder secure victory in Italy. "None of our riders finished, so I had the chance to follow the Tre Valli Varesine a bit. What Ilan achieved there was truly remarkable. In my view, his statements would be the best course of action for everyone involved, as otherwise, many riders and staff are left with unanswered questions," expressed Van Bondt. He mentioned hearing Van Wilder say, "We just want this situation to come to an end and continue as Soudal Quick-Step."
However, Van Bondt, a member of Remco Evenepoel's core team, acknowledged that he doesn't possess a complete understanding of the ongoing developments. "Only a handful of individuals are privy to all the details: Plugge and the individuals from Jumbo, and perhaps Patrick as well. But that's likely about it," added the Belgian sports director, who visibly had mixed feelings after the race's conclusion.