Triple signing of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl

Belgium cycling team Quick Step Alpha Vinyl, of the UCI WorldTeam category, announced the signing of three new riders, Jan Hirt, Tim Merlier and Casper Pedersenas reported Thursday by the team in a press release.

Czech Jan Hirt, 31, signed until the end of 2024, will bolster the team’s climbing contingent after a season in which he won the Tour of Oman and finished sixth overall. Italy is spinningwhere he also achieved stage success in Aprica.

Hailing from Belgium, 29-year-old Tim Merlier, who signed a deal with the team that runs until the end of 2025, started in cyclocross, winning the national Juniors title, before switching to road cycling. There he scored several important victories as a sprinter, including stages in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, the Brussels Cycling Classic and the Bruges-De Panne Classic. This June, Tim also became the Belgian National Champion for the second time in his career.

Casper Pedersen will also wear the team’s colors from 2023, having agreed a two-year contract. Casper, multiple medalist in European Track Championship, won one of the oldest races on the calendar, the Paris-Tours. Since then, the 26-year-old Dane has confirmed his leadership skills in several races, attracting the attention of Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl.

“We’re really pleased with the business we’ve done and we’ve brought in three quality riders to strengthen our team for years to come,” said team sporting director Patrick Lefevere.

“All three riders are great individual talents, but they are also great team men, which I think will be a good fit for the Wolfpack and its philosophy, and we look forward to working with them,” concluded Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl CEO.