Quick-Step Floors team announced for Santos Tour Down Under 2017

Czech rider Petr Vakoč will be on the start line of the Santos Tour Down Under in 2017 as the leader of the Quick-Step Floors Cycling Team, and is keen on making the most out of this opportunity.

“It’s a nice race and I’m really looking forward to it. The organisers are doing a great job every year, the parcours is a very good one and the fans are always creating a fantastic atmosphere. Last year, it was the right decision to start my season here, and I hope things will go the same also this time. I would like to fight for a stage victory, and even though the finish to Stirling is missing, I am confident there will be some chances for me, so I’ll just take it day by day and see what happens”, he says.

Petr will be joined by teammate Gianluca Brambilla, a two-time Grand Tour stage winner in 2016.

“I’m entering in my eighth pro year, and I’ve never before began the season so early. It will be a new experience and I’m curious to find out how I’ll cope with it," says Gianluca.

"Now I feel good, but the race is different than the training. It won’t be easy to make the transition from the European winter to the Australian summer, but we are traveling there early and I hope to adapt to the conditions.”

Leading the Quick-Step Floors Cycling Team from the car will be sport director Rik van Slycke.

“On the penultimate day the riders will go twice up Willunga Hill, and that stage should decide the overall," says Rik.

"We must pay attention also to the stages that will run close to the coast, because the wind could have an impact on the outcome. Our team, a strong and balanced one, will have a few cards to play, one of which is Petr, who came close of winning a stage last year and will now try again his hand. It’s not going to be easy, we know that, as the heat and the fact the Australians are in good shape in this time of the year could play against us, but nevertheless we are confident that we can do something nice here.”

Joining Gianluca Brambilla and Petr Vakoč for the Santos Tour Down Under will be Tour of Britain stage winner Jack Bauer, 2011 Giro d’Italia stage victor Eros Capecchi, Tour of Belgium and Tour de Wallonie champion Dries Devenyns, neo-pro Enric Mas and Martin Velits, one of the few Slovakian riders to win both the road race and the individual time trial National Championships.

The Santos Tour Down Under will take place from 14-22 January in Adelaide, South Australia.