Soudal-QuickStep started a brand new chapter of their lengthy and profitable historical past at a group presentation Thursday in Calpe, Spain. The Belgian group are hoping Remco Evenepoel can get better from his severe crash accidents and as soon as once more impress on the Tour de France, whereas Jurgen Fore’ replaces Patrick Lefevere as CEO and ushers in a really totally different type of administration.
The new season is 2025 ADL, ‘Anno Domini Lefevere’, the primary yr with out Lefevere in cost however with races to win, quite a few new riders to signal for 2026 and a brand new future to create within the years forward.
The group presentation returned to a well-known lodge in Calpe the place they’ve been for various years. Lefevere was current however not centre stage. It was a second of farewell and the beginning of latest chapter, in entrance of the group’s sponsors, riders, employees and the media.
A celebratory video montage of Lefevere’s 20-plus years in cost recalled his success and Lefevere was given a novel Specialized bike as a retirement current.
“It’s my first bike from the group and doubtless the final. I’ll handle it for so long as I reside,” Levefere stated, holding again his feelings, as everybody on the presentation gave him a standing ovation.
Evenepoel was not current on the group presentation in Calpe however spoke through a video message from Belgium earlier than an necessary check-up on his fractured shoulder, that might give him the inexperienced mild to start rehabilitation and maybe even indoor driving.
“It’s been a really powerful interval for me, with no coaching and never doing something,” Evenepoel stated.
“We’ve been on a vacation for a final second of rest so I can get better for hopefully the beginning of rehab. But I’m affected person and can wait so I’m 100% able to exit on the bike.
“I can solely promise one factor: I’ll be again. I’ll deal with my huge targets and never the aspect targets. I simply wish to be 100% prepared for the Tour de France.”
Evenepoel dedicated to staying with Soudal-QuickStep in the course of the Zurich World Championships, as Lefevere realised it was time for him to retire, the 2 occasions have been maybe intertwined and positively led to a really totally different Soudal-QuickStep group for the years forward.
Evenepoel now dominates the headlines within the Flemish media, whereas Lefevere is formally retired. Their relationship had change into terse within the final 18 months, as Evenepoel’s father spoke out and negotiated a potential transfer to rival groups however is alleged to have improved in current instances.
Fore’ was entrance and centre for a lot of the presentation, reiterating his position as CEO and Lefevere’s successor.
He revealed that Evenepoel will goal the Tour de France, with Mikel Landa the designated chief on the Giro d’Italia, earlier than additionally driving the Tour. Tim Merlier might be a part of the Soudal Quick-Step Tour de France line-up and goal the sprints.
Merleir and lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe additionally revealed they may stick with the group for 3 extra years.
Twenty-year-old Paul Magnier will even make his Grand Tour debut on the Giro as he leads the group’s block of younger skills. The USA’s Luke Lamperti will even play a key position within the Classics however won’t make his season debut on the Tour Down Under as deliberate on account of a knee drawback.
“Building a group for the long run can also be about making laborious selections and it was troublesome to let Julian Alaphillipe and Kasper Asgreen go. We chosen our new riders fastidiously including younger expertise and skilled riders. I feel we are able to convey Ethan Hayter to his greatest degree ever,” Fore stated.
The Belgian group has a profitable improvement squad and the AG Insurance–Soudal girls’s group, for a complete of 62 riders and 93 employees, and 16 totally different nationalities. The groups even have 49 companions and sponsors.
