After concluding last month in Belgium, Etixx-QuickStep kick-off the new one in the same country, but in the Walloon region this time, where on Wednesday is scheduled to take place Le Samyn. The 202.6 km-long event starts in Quaregnon and is by no means flat, with several small climbs taking the sting out of the legs. In the second part of the race, the course comes up with a 24.6 km-long circuit which will be done four times and which includes several cobbled sections that are sure to spice up the action. On top of all, the finishing straight in Dour is in a slight uphill, which is going to favour the punchy sprinters.

Le Samyn will see Etixx – Quick-Step line up a team that’s going to mix youth and experience. Runner-up at the previous edition, Gianni Meersman returns to his home country race determined to be again among the protagonists. The 30-year-old Belgian will be joined, among others, by 2014 Paris-Roubaix champion Niki Terpstra and Lukasz Wisniowski, who comes here after a strong ride – which netted him a 5th place – in last Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.
 

Riders

Julian Alaphilippe (FRA)
Rodrigo Contreras Pinzon (COL)
Laurens De Plus (BEL)
Davide Martinelli (ITA)
Gianni Meersman (BEL)
Niki Terpstra (NED)
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL)
Lukasz Wisniowski (POL)