The 33-year-old Belgian was our team’s highest-ranked rider in “La Primavera”.
Jasper Stuyven achieved his 11th top-ten finish in a Monument, after a strong day in the saddle at Milano-Sanremo, cycling’s longest one-day race. The Belgian was Soudal Quick-Step’s top finisher Saturday afternoon, as he took his most significant result since the start of the season, which underscored his upward trajectory – already visible in Paris-Nice – ahead of the cobbled Classics.
Just like last year, the race exploded on the Cipressa, where three riders broke away, while the small group behind fought hard to limit the damage. Stuyven, who was making his 29th Monument appearance, showed good legs by making the cut and staying in the reduced peloton that managed to reduce the gap to just ten seconds ahead of the Poggio. There, the gap widened once again, only for it to come down again on the descent and flat section to the finish.
The group arrived on the Via Roma only four seconds behind winner Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jasper sprinted to seventh place, a result from which he took a lot of confidence that he will now carry into next week’s one-day races in Flanders.
I can be happy with how today went. We did a good race and the team kept me out of trouble.
“There are always a lot of ifs after a race, but I am satisfied to be in the top ten in my first Monument with the Wolfpack. I had no idea of what to expect, but the legs were there and the team believed in me, working and keeping me out of the wind, helping me as far as they could. It’s a good result for the morale and for the whole squad before taking on the cobbled Classics”, said Jasper after the finish.
Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images