The Wolfpack reveals the aces! Alaphilippe, Asgreen and Cerny heading to the Czech Tour

The expectations of the Czech Tour organisers come true. A week before the start of this year's edition, which will also see the arrival of a record eight teams from the elite World Tour category, the nominations are being refined and the roster of the Belgian Soudal-Quick-Step stable is arousing due respect. The star of the Wolfpack will be none other than two-time world champion Julian Alaphilippe.

Beloved by the French, winner of six stages in the Tour de France. Owner of the polka-dot jersey from the Grand Boucle for the best climber in 2018, and year later the wearer of the yellow jersey for the leader of the overall standings for two weeks. He's also a winner of classics such as Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and the Arrow of Wallonia. That's 32-year-old Julian Alaphilippe in a nutshell.

Those familiar with the peloton will recall that one of the most prominent faces of the last decade of world cycling started his career in the Czech team Etixx-Ihned. And the popular Loulou also showed up as a rookie at two of the biggest Czech races. In 2013, he first competed in the Peace Race for riders under 23 and two months later he did not miss the Czech Tour. There he fought for the overall championship, but in the end he had to bow to the current director of both events, Leopold König.

"I'm looking forward to reminiscing with Julian about our competition together," says Leopold König with a smile. "Nomination of the Wolf Pack makes me really happy. It confirms that the prestige of the Czech Tour is rising," adds the former member of the star Sky stable.

The 29-year-old Kasper Asgreen will also compete in the Czech Tour in the colours of the Soudal-Quick-Step team, which has a deep Czech footprint (successful engagements of Zdeněk Štybar, Jan Hirt and Petr Vakoč). The team's hero of last year's Tour de France, who managed to end the long wait for the stage victory after a sensational escape of a group of four on stage 18. Thirty-one-year-old Josef Cerny, who dominated the Czech Tour in 2017 and then shone with a stage triumph at the Giro d'Italia in 2020, will also be present.

The promising youth in the Wolfpack will be represented by 23-year-old Antoine Huby, who returns to the Czech Republic after his triumph in the Peace Race last year, or twenty-one-year-old American Luke Lamperti.

This year's Czech Tour will take place on 25-28 July, with an opening ceremony in Olomouc the day before the first stage with a presentation of all the teams and their stars. The riders will have almost 590 km to cover during the four stages with an elevation gain of more than 9,000 metres.