{"id":328330,"date":"2025-08-08T16:38:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T16:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/328330\/"},"modified":"2025-08-08T16:38:17","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T16:38:17","slug":"former-paris-roubaix-winner-swaps-visma-for-quick-step-in-bid-to-restore-the-wolfpack-to-classics-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/328330\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Paris-Roubaix winner swaps Visma for Quick-Step in bid to restore ‘The Wolfpack’ to Classics success"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a move that signals clear intent to reclaim their cobbled crown, Soudal – Quick-Step<\/a> have announced the signing of Dylan van Baarle<\/a> from Team Visma <\/a>| Lease a Bike, with the Dutchman penning a three-year deal through to the end of 2027.It\u2019s a signing that, on paper, marks a significant coup. Van Baarle is not just a proven Classics operator \u2014 he’s a monument winner, a former Dutch national champion, and a metronomic presence at the front of some of the sport\u2019s most attritional one-day races. With victories at Paris-Roubaix<\/a> (2022), Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (2023), and Dwars door Vlaanderen (2021), plus a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships in Leuven, Van Baarle\u2019s pedigree is unquestionable.<\/p>\n

But beyond the palmares, this transfer is emblematic of Soudal \u2013 Quick-Step\u2019s broader ambition: to re-establish themselves as the dominant force in the Spring Classics, a title that\u2019s slipped from their grasp in recent years.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A tactic that comes into more focus after the announcement of them losing their Grand Tour and GC leader Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe earlier this week.<\/p>\n

Rebuilding the Wolfpack<\/p>\n

Once the undisputed kings of the cobbles under Patrick Lefevere’s stewardship, Quick-Step’s stranglehold on the Classics has loosened over recent years. While the team remains a perennial presence at the sharp end, they’ve been increasingly outgunned by the likes of Visma and UAE Team Emirates, both of whom have assembled powerful Classics squads in recent seasons.<\/p>\n

The addition of Van Baarle \u2014 ironically, from Visma themselves \u2014 could prove to be both a statement of intent and a strategic reinforcement. At 33, he brings maturity, experience, and a proven ability to win in the biggest one-day races. He also offers tactical flexibility: a rider capable of going long, bridging moves, or riding defensively when needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a dream come true,\u201d Van Baarle said in the team\u2019s official announcement<\/a>. \u201cI watched this team growing up, especially during the Tom Boonen days. I\u2019m excited to be a part of the Wolfpack and want to get back to my best level for the Classics.\u201d\"1051590352\"\/<\/p>\n

Van Baarle took the biggest win of his career at Paris-Roubaix<\/p>\n

Soudal \u2013 Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Fore<\/a> was quick to underline the strategic value of the signing: \u201cDylan brings not just power and results, but experience. He\u2019s the kind of rider who can make the difference in key race moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

His potential value extends beyond the Classics, too. A dependable lieutenant in Grand Tours, Van Baarle has helped deliver GC success for teammates and has the engine to seize stage wins in week-long races when the opportunity presents itself. That dual threat \u2014 Classics expertise plus stage race utility \u2014 makes him one of the most well-rounded riders in the modern peloton when fit and firing.<\/p>\n

Whether it translates into wins remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Soudal \u2013 Quick-Step are not done with the Classics just yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a move that signals clear intent to reclaim their cobbled crown, Soudal – Quick-Step have announced the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":328331,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4104],"tags":[4230,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-328330","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-cycling","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114994132235659283","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=328330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/328330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/328331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=328330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=328330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=328330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}