The 97th Tour de France has finished in Paris. The three weeks trough The Netherlands, Belgium and France were very successful for Team Quick Step. Sylvain Chavanel won two stages and wore the yellow jersey for two days. Jerome Pineau owned the polka dot jersey for a while and the team was involved in several breakaways. Team Quick Step finished 7th in the team classification and Chavanel was rewarded with the price for most combative rider. What does Patrick Lefevere think about this Tour?
Exceeded own expectations
“Sylvain’s award is a prize for an excellent Tour” – Team Manager Patrick Lefevere said – “In the first days of the race Chavanel and Pineau gave performances that made them authentic leaders of the entire group. The team was also able to shine at the highest levels thanks to an atmosphere inside the squad that got better with each passing day. Our Tour has exceeded our own expectations. 7th place in the final team standings is testament to a job well done.”
Feel sorry for Pineau
Pineau lost his polka dot jersey to his compratiot Charteau, after he crashed at an decisive moment. “I’m really sorry about Pineau’s polka dot jersey. Jerome deserved the chance to defend the jersey to the end, without having to give it up because of a fall.”
Very happy with De Weert
Kevin de Weert ended in a very nice 18th place in the final overall rankings. “We are also very happy with Kevin De Weert’s progress. We knew he was a good racer and he’s finally showing his worth. He’s made a lot of sacrifices to make it to this level, working a lot on his weight and on climbs. His results are his reward”, Lefevere said about De Weert.
“The rest of the crew stepped up to the situation too. Some breaks, like Barredo’s in Pau, could have been luckier. We are really satisfied of our team and we look forward for other good performances”, Lefevere concluded.