Pedaling to success over two decades
Quick-Step Cycling Team has won 860 UCI races in the last two decades, including 108 Grand Tour stages, 20 Monuments, 64 national titles, 16 world titles, 2 European titles, 2 World Cup finishes and 1 Olympic title. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the cycling team also known as the Wolfpack, Belgian museum KOERS in Roeselare is running a unique exhibition that unveils the successful history of the team.
Zdenek Bakala, who is the proud owner of the team, is a keen cyclist himself. His passion for cycling started already when he was a child. “For many obvious reasons, we were not able to watch western cycling races in the 1960s and 70s back in Czechoslovakia. So, for me as a kid, the Peace Race was definitely the pinnacle of the season. Often it would go through the town where I lived so I was even able to attend in person. That was by far the most exciting cycling experience of my childhood,” said Zdenek.
Zdenek acquired the cycling team in 2010 and instantly became part of the Wolfpack. “Owning a club brings exceptional opportunities – the main being the chance to get to know a number of great people involved in cycling and to experience first-hand the totally unique atmosphere of our team,” said Zdenek. “If I have to choose just one moment, the biggest success, then I must admit the fairy-tale of Mark Cavendish coming back to the top of the sport last season beats any other experience with Quick-Step.”