Remco Evenepoel has given a straight-faced however veiled indication that he’ll keep on the Soudal Quick-Step workforce in 2025 regardless of reviews of curiosity from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and an obvious deadline for any main switch deal.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe workforce supervisor Ralph Denk additionally described the reviews as ‘gossip’ with out denying that talks, attainable offers and deadlines have been mentioned.
Evenepoel is below contract with Soudal Quick-Step till the tip of 2026 however a rising variety of reviews have advised that Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have given the Belgian a deadline to resolve on the transfer. The arrival of the power drink model has massively raised the ambitions of the workforce and Evenepoel appears a great future Grand Tour chief.
Any provide is prone to be vital, with Evenpoel maybe commanding an annual wage of between 4 or 5 million euros, and a payment to cowl any contract buy-out prices. Any deal must be agreed by all events and authorised by the UCI.
Soudal Quick-Step workforce supervisor Patrick Lefevere has typically clashed with Evenepoel’s father, who acts as his agent, and has warned that any deal will likely be costly and legally complicated.
The speculations and reviews have solely intensified for the reason that Tour and Evenepoel’s double gold-medal profitable efficiency on the Paris Olympic Games. He returned to racing on the Tour of Britain and the ultimate query from Flemish media on the race was about his future.
“I do not know something about that,” Evenepoel advised the huddle of Flemish media, with out revealing any emotion or response to the topic.
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“So a lot at all times comes out with none reality to it. I don’t know what that might be about. I have not seen something myself.”
When requested if he’ll nonetheless experience for Soudal Quick-Step in 2025: Evenepoel replied: “That’s a sure.”
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe workforce supervisor Ralph Denk celebrated Primož Roglič’s Vuelta a Espana victory in Madrid however couldn’t escape questions on Evenepoel.
Some reviews have advised that Roglič could possibly be a part of a swap take care of Soudal Quick-Step. Last 12 months he left Jumbo-Visma for a Tour de France management position. However Red Bull then took a majority stake within the workforce and Roglic crashed out of the French Grand Tour, whereas Evenepoel proved his Tour credentials.
“I hear and skim the rumours on daily basis in Italian, English and the Belgian media however I’ve nothing to say about it,” Denk advised Het Laatste Nieuws when intercepted in Madrid.
“They are gossip and I’ll not, can not and won’t reply to them. No matter how annoying that’s.”
Evenepoel travelled to his dwelling in Spain after the Tour of Britain for a ultimate block of coaching earlier than the World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland. He has opted out of this week’s European Championships in Belgium for an even bigger and higher block of coaching.
Evenepoel tried to be aggressive in the course of the Tour of Britain however misplaced time and so labored for teammates Julian Alaphilippe and Paul Magnier.
“It was a matter of increase and getting again into it. I could not do greater than that,” he mentioned.
“I simply have to enhance the whole lot and get higher. Going to an altitude coaching camp isn’t an choice, I will likely be coaching at sea degree.”
“It’s all about depth, coaching behind the moped and on my time trial bike.”
“I simply have to coach arduous after which construct up some freshness for the time trial on September 22, then I’ve one week left till the highway race.”