In the new Soudal Quick Step, which wants to move away from the memory of Remco Evenepoel, Jasper Stuyven, 34 years old, has arrived after 12 seasons spent between Trek Factory Racing and Lidl-Trek, now joining the Belgian team symbolic of the Classics.

Last week, in the gigantic meeting room of the Suitopia Hotel in Calpe, which the Soudal Quick-Step team has transformed into a base camp, Jasper Stuyven appeared smiling, before going out on a bike with his new teammates. "It still feels strange to see myself in this jersey" – said the winner of the 2021 Milan-San Remo with a smile – "I had already had the opportunity, several times in my career, to join the Quick-Step team, but for various reasons it never worked out".

Stuyven was born in Leuven and for him, who is very loved in Belgium, racing with Soudal-Quick Step has an important value. "The decisive factor in this transfer was my desire to continue pursuing certain personal ambitions. At Lidl-Trek, I would have been just a domestique in the Classics for Pedersen and Vacek. However, considering my last two seasons, I modestly believe I still have something in store to take on a different role".

Stuyven's palmares is impressive. In 2020 he won the Omloop and the following year the Sanremo. In the last season, he finished fifth in both the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders, and in 2024 he came second in the E3 behind Van der Poel. "I'm not leaving on bad terms with my previous team; the discussions were very transparent. But we no longer shared the same vision, so it was better for me to change environment".

At Soudal Quick-Step, Stuyven wants to reclaim his leadership position in the Classics, with the intention of crossing the finish line first. "I would like to be at the top of my form after Milan-Sanremo, which I won in 2021 and do my best in Paris-Roubaix. We will have a large and strong team on this route, with many strengths, including Paul Magnier, a super talent that I want to guide to help him avoid some small mistakes he still sometimes makes. Moreover, I won't limit my ambitions to just the Classics. I want to win that Tour de France stage I've been aiming for for some time. My adaptation has been perfect so far. I already knew several riders and some staff members, and it's nice to be able to converse with them in Dutch. Consequently, everything seems more familiar and welcoming".

Stuyven has signed a contract until 2028 and now begins his period of redemption, where with a Belgian team, he can aim for the home Classics.