The Belgian Quick Step team has announced a roster of 27 riders that hail from 8 different countries for 2010: Belgium, Italy, Spain, Holland, Germany, France, Byelorussia and Denmark. The new season will see the addition of 3 new faces on the team. From Belgium, the team has signed 23-year-old Nikolas Maes and 27-year-old Iljo Keisse, the latter being a track specialist who also posesses excellent road credentials. From Germany, the team has brought on one of the most talented sprinters of his generation in 22-year-old Andreas Stauff. He won a stage and the points classifications at the 2009 Tour de l’Avenir.
Notably, Australian Allan Davis has been left off the roster which may mean that he has made an agreement with Quick Step to move to Astana. Earlier this week Patrick Lefevere stated that he would not be allowed to go for free telling Sporza, "If he doesn't pay back a year's salary by January 1, he is not going to Astana. Then I will hold him to his Quick Step contract." There are no further details on the situation.
The team has been built around leaders Tom Boonen, Stijn Devolder, Sylvain Chavanel and Carlos Barredo who, after his victory at the Clasica San Sebastian, is expected to have a magnificent season in 2010. The team has also said that they will give a lot of freedom to the “young group” which will ideally be captained by white jersey winner at the 2009 Giro d’Italia Kevin Seeldraeyers.
Last season the youngsters on the team proved themselves with excellent results. This year Quick Step will look to further develop their talent for the future, and look forward to strong performances from them in 2010. Belgian's number one team will once again be composed of a balanced and competitive team with a mix of experiences and ages that will make their mark on the roads in the upcoming season.
Another change coming to the Quick Step team will be their kit for the new year. As of January 1st their new design by Vermac will have blue as the main color on the jersey with the Quick Step logo inserted in a strip that is outlined in red. After the success last year with the retro outfits used in last year's northern Spring Classic campaign, the team’s riders will again be wearing black cycling shorts.
The Quick Step roster for 2010:
Carlos Barredo (Esp)
Tom Boonen (Bel)
Dario Cataldo (Ita)
Sylvain Chavanel (Fra)
Kevin de Weert (Bel)
Dries Devenyns (Bel)
Stijn Devolder (Bel)
Addy Engels (Ned)
Mauro Facci (Ita)
Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel)
Kevin Hulsmans (Bel)
Iljo Keisse (Bel)
Andrei Kunitski (Blr)
Nikolas Maes (Bel)
Davide Malacarne (Ita)
Jerome Pineau (Fra)
Francesco Reda (Ita)
Branislau Samoilau (Blr)
Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel)
Andreas Stauff (Ger)
Matteo Tosatto (Ita)
Jurgen van de Walle (Bel)
Kevin van Impe (Bel)
Thomas Vedel Kvist (Den)
Marco Velo (Ita)
Wouter Weylandt (Bel)
Maarten Wynants (Bel)