Quick Step-Floors name versatile squads for Nokere Koerse and Handzame Classic

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Quick Step-Floors have named versatile and ambitious squads for the 1.HC Nokere Koerse and Handzame Classic Belgian races this week. Rémi Cavagna, who recently won Dwars door West-Vlaanderen, will line out for both races alongside Fabio Jakobsen, Davide Martinelli, Florian Sénéchal and Pieter Serry.

Belgian time trial champion Yves Lampaert is in for Handzame Classic with sports director Geert Van Bondt expecting two strong showings from his team.

"Nokere and Handzame are two nice but hard races, which our team has won in the past, and where we hope to play again a key role in the outcome," Van Bondt said. "If you look over our team, you can easily see it’s a young one, but these guys don’t lack quality or motivation, which they showcased at Dwars door West-Vlaanderen. That’s why we are going at the start with confidence that we can continue our solid string of results on Belgian soil."

Quick Step-Floors have won 13 races so far in 2018. Niki Terpstra won the team's first race on European soil this season at Le Samyn with Philippe Gilbert in second place. At Dwars West-Vlaanderen, Quick Step-Floors also dominated with four riders in the top-seven. With star sprinter Fernando Gaviria likely ruled out of the classics after breaking his hand in Tirreno-Adriatico, the two races could serve as auditions for Quick Step-Floors first team Classics squad.

The 199.1km Danilith Nokere Koerse takes place March 14 with the Tiegemberg and Nokereberg climbs featuring on the course. The Handzame Classic on March 16 is slightly longer at 199.1km with less climbing than its semi-classic counterpart. 

Danilith Nokere Koerse: Rémi Cavagna, Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui, Fabio Jakobsen, Davide Martinelli, Jhonnatan Narvaez, Florian Sénéchal and Pieter Serry.