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STAGE 12: TEAM OF THE DAY: QUICK STEP-INNERGETIC
June 25, 2008
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Quick Step-Innergetic
Registered Nation: Belgium
Bicycles: Specialized
Components: Campagnolo
Key Riders: Gert Steegmans, Stijn Devolder
Title Sponsors: Quick Step is a manufacturer of laminate flooring.
Lead by redoubtable team manager Patrick Lefevere, Quick Step was formed as Quick Step-Davitamon in 2003 from the remnants of the Mapei "super team" that dominated the classics during the late 1990's.
The teams first team leader was Paolo Bettini who won the World Cup in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, mattress maker Innergetic joined as co-sponsor.
2005 also saw the emergence of Tom Boonen as a true classics star, as he won Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the World Road Race Championships in Madrid, Spain. Also that year, Filippo Pozzato won HEW Cyclassics, and Paolo Bettini the Giro di Lombardia. In 2006 Boonen again won the Tour of Flanders and wore the Maillot Jaune in the Tour de France. Paolo Bettini won the World Championship and retained his Giro di Lombardia title. The 2007 season saw Tom Boonen win two stages and the Maillot Vert sprinters classification in the Tour de France and Paolo Bettini repeat his win as world champion. With Tom Boonen positive for cocaine in an out of competition test, he is out of the Tour, so look for stage win bids by Quick Step riders as 2007 Belgian champ Stijn Devolder will look for a good gc performance.
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