All beautiful songs come to an end. After three years at Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl, Stijn Steels has to look for a new employer. Whether the 33-year-old from Ghent will still be riding in the peloton next season is not certain.
In a farewell message on the Wolfpack’s website, Steels looks back with pleasure. “I have many fond memories of my three years with Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl,” he says.
“When I was a kid I was already a fan of this team and I went to support with my flag. So you can imagine what it was like when I got a call asking if I wanted to join the team. I was in the seventh heaven and immediately accepted the proposal.”
Due to the corona pandemic, Steels missed some important races, “but I also experienced so many beautiful moments, which I can look back on with pleasure,” he says.
“In the Tour of Valencia in 2020, Fabio (Jakobsen) was disappointed that he had lost a sprint by a few centimeters. He was my teammate then and we talked about it for a long time in the evening. his job and he won. That was a wonderful moment.”
The Wolfpack has therefore stolen the heart of Steels. “It’s not just a name, it’s real. I could see that several times,” he says.
When he fell hard on the first day at the Six Days in Ghent last month, he immediately received many messages from his teammates. “They were genuinely interested in how I was doing. I immediately felt what it means to be part of this team again.”
“I’m sad it’s over, but I’m glad I was able to make a lot of friends. I gave everything and I want to thank everyone.”
“During my three years with The Wolfpack I could really see that the mentality and friendly atmosphere are the factors that make this team one of the best to ride for.”
