Omega Pharma-Quick Step will line up on the start line of Sunday’s Milano-Sanremo with 2009 winner Mark Cavendish, and two-time podium Tom Boonen, but will not limit itself to the ambitions of its two sprint stars. The 298km race often finishes in a mass bunch sprint, but - as in the case of the last two years - is just as likely to be played out between the members of a breakaway group.
"We have a good, strong team that can be competitive for each moment of the race," said directeur sportif Davide Bramati, who will lead the Belgian team alongside Wilfried Peeters. "We have riders good for the sprint, and also to be present in the main actions, such as on the Cipressa and the Poggio, or even in a final if it does not come down to a bunch finish.
“The team is in good condition and really motivated after a good result after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico,” he added. “We are ready to do a good race and to be protagonists."
In addition to Cavendish and Boonen - the former of which has already taken six victories this season, while the latter spent much of Paris-Nice on the front of the peloton as he rebuilds his form after his elbow operation in January - the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team will include the ever-aggressive former French champion Sylvain Chavanel, who took a sprint victory in the sixth stage of Paris-Nice, finished the race in fifth overall, and won the points jersey.
The team will also include Michal Kwiatkowsi, who led Tirreno-Adriatico for a day before finishing fourth overall, Netherlands champion Niki Terpstra and former two-time cyclocross World champion Zdeněk Štybar - making his debut in la Primavera - with the team completed by Stijn Vandenbergh and Martin Velits.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step team for Milano-Sanremo
Tom Boonen, Mark Cavendish, Sylvain Chavanel, Michal Kwiatkowski, Zdeněk Štybar, Niki Terpstra, Stijn Vandenbergh, Martin Velits