Zdenek and his team Quick Step Floors started the season well. In the opening team time trial of the Volta a Valencia they finished third. A day later Zdenek himself just missed the top ten.
“It was raining all day, 180 kilometers long”, Styby said after the finish. “It was wet and slippery all day and everyone was looking forward to the end. In the final my teammate David De La Cruz attacked together with some other guys. Also Tony Martin, now with Katusha, was involved.”
Martin won the stage and De La Cruz, Styby his teammate, finished fourth. In the sprint for the eight place Zdenek finished fifth, which was good for a twelfth place. “Not bad after such a cold day”, Styby said.