QuickStep's Dan Martin and Julian Alaphilippe are set to lead the team's assault at Milano-Torino. They've combined well together at times this season but still have business to attend to before the 2017 campaign is out.
Dan Martin, Julian Alaphilippe set for Milano-Torino
Gearing up for another tilt at winning Il Lombardia, Dan Martin will share QuickStep team leadership with Julian Alaphilippe in Milano-Torino tomorrow, Thursday.
The Irish rider had a long force break after the Tour de France due to his fractured vertebrae sustain in a crash during the Grand Tour.
But riding the World Championships for Ireland and finishing in the lead group indicates there is still some gas in the tank.
And of Martin gets a sniff at victory in either Milano-Torino or Il Lombardia few would be against him.
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The duo teamed up well at Paris-Nice. Dan Martin was 3rd overall and Alaphilippe 5th after holding yellow, winning a stage and taking the young rider and points classifications.
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Alaphilippe rode at attacking race at the Worlds. He still finished 10th despite his aggression late on and he also claimed a stage in the Vuelta.
Those performances suggest an injury-hit season has been put behind him. The French-Irish pairing should prove a handful tomorrow.
The 186km race sees the field tackled the climb of Superga twice in the final 25km. The ascent is 4.9km and averages 9.1 per cent.
The first passage should soften up a peloton with 161km already in its legs. And the second ascent should shape the result.
Backing the two main challengers is a group of very strong QuickStep riders, some of whom may pose a threat of their own.
Those men are: Gianluca Brambilla, Laurens De Plus, Dries Devenyns, Philippe Gilbert, Bob Jungels and Davide Martinelli.
Dan Martin will of course look for a result tomorrow. But having won in Lombardy in 2014 he would love to take his second win of the year there on Saturday.
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