Experience and youthful energy. The Soudal Quick-Step team has unveiled its roster for this year's Czech Tour, and the list is definitely not short on interesting names. Riding for one of the most traditional and successful teams in the WorldTour, which won four stages at the recent Tour de France, riders such as Yves Lampaert, Josef Černý and Luke Lamperti are expected to come to the Czech Republic in August. Their presence guarantees that the Czech Tour 2025 will be full of thrilling battles and unforgettable moments.
"I am really looking forward to seeing this lineup compete. They will bring quality and exciting racing, which the fans will surely enjoy. And I'm especially happy that Pepa Černý is coming; the home crowd will definitely cheer him on," says Czech Tour Director and former top climber Leopold König.
The roster for Soudal Quick-Step brings together stage winners from all three Grand Tours, experienced classics specialists, sprinters, and general classification riders. The most notable achievements belong to 34-year-old Belgian Yves Lampaert, whose palmarès includes stage wins at the Tour de France - where he famously wore the yellow jersey for a day in 2022 after a sensational victory in the opening time trial in Copenhagen - and the Vuelta a España. He also boasts triumphs at the Tour de Suisse and Tour of Britain, a two-time win at the Dwars door Vlaanderen classic, and the overall victory at the Tour of Slovakia.
Two years younger, Josef Černý made a name for himself with an overall triumph at the 2017 Czech Tour. In 2020, he won a stage at the Giro d’Italia, followed by an overall win at the Tour of Slovakia in 2022, and a stage victory at the Tour de Romandie in 2023. This year, the nearly 190 cm tall rider took home a silver medal from the national time trial championship.
The team's roster is further complemented by riders who know what it's like to race on Czech soil. 22-year-old American Luke Lamperti dominated a bunch sprint finish in Ostrava last year, narrowly beating Pavel Bittner at the line. At that time, Briton James Knox (29) was also there in the Belgian team's jersey., while 22-year-old Belgian Junior Leceerf has twice competed on Czech roads in the Peace Race U23.
Rounding out the team's mates is a Belgian duo. 22-year-old Gil Gelders will be gaining valuable experience; he won two stages at the 'Baby Giro' in 2022, where he competed against notable riders from this year's Tour de France, Oscar Onley and Lenny Martinez. The role of mentor could fall to 30-year-old classics specialist Dries van Gestel, who finished third in a Vuelta stage two years ago and a year earlier at the Gent-Wevelgem one-day classic.
With three weeks to go before the start, the Czech Tour organizers have registered nineteen teams. Alongside Soudal Quick-Step, the lineup traditionally includes another WorldTour team, Visma Lease a Bike, with other participants representing the Pro and Continental categories. Development teams from Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and XDS Astana will also be present, as will the top Czech teams, Elkov-Kasper and ATT Investments.
The most significant professional race in the Czech Republic is set to take place from August 14-17. For the first time in its history, the race will start in Prague before the peloton makes its debut visits to Karlovy Vary and Pardubice. The race will then continue to traditional locations like Dlouhé stráně, Prostějov, Ostrava, Kroměříž, and the Beskydy's Pustevny. On Wednesday, August 13, the Czech Tour will officially kick off with a ceremonial team presentation at Prague's Hradčany Square, where cycling fans will have the opportunity to meet all the riders face-to-face.
Foto: Jan Brychta
