Soudal Quick-Step to miss Jasper Stuyven in opening weekend

Don’t look for Jasper Stuyven this weekend during Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne. The Soudal Quick-Step rider is ill and has to skip the Opening Weekend. He will be replaced by Jonathan Vervenne. This was announced by his team on social media.

Stuyven made the switch from Lidl-Trek to Soudal Quick-Step this past winter. He debuted for The Wolfpack at the Volta ao Algarve but had to abandon after three stages due to illness. At the time, the team still expected Stuyven to recover in time for the Opening Weekend. The 33-year-old did join the reconnaissance for the Omloop but now has to withdraw from the race weekend after all.

This is a significant blow for Soudal Quick-Step. Stuyven was considered one of the team’s three key riders, alongside Dylan van Baarle and Paul Magnier. The Dutchman and the Frenchman will still participate in both Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Soudal Quick-Step announced that Jonathan Vervenne is replacing the sick Stuyven, though the 22-year-old Vervenne was already selected for KBK. It is unclear who will be called up as the seventh rider for Sunday.

Stuyven’s next scheduled race is Paris-Nice.