Cycling: A field of riders without Soudal – Quick-Step is unimaginable for many fans. But it almost came to this point in 2024. However, a merger was still averted. Now the Belgian team is looking to the future – with a much younger squad.
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Soudal – Quick-Step races onto the podium 130 times
In recent years, the Soudal – Quick-Step team has always been one of the most successful teams in road cycling. 2023 knew that too "wolf pack" to convince. The professionals in white and blue were able to achieve a whopping 58 victories this season and 72 further podium finishes. Nevertheless, at the end of the season there were persistent rumors that the team would merge with another team. Among those discussed were Jumbo – Visma and Ineos Grenadiers. Team boss Patrick Lefevere has been thinking about selling the team for a long time. And businessman Zdenek Bakala would like to be an investor in the absolute best team in the world. But together they decided to continue with Soudal – Quick-Step. And the cycling fans are certainly grateful for that, because a peloton without Quick-Step is almost unthinkable. Superstar Remco Evenepoel had big plans for the 2023 calendar year, but was unable to meet his own expectations at the major national tours. He had to drop out of the Giro d'Italia due to illness. At the Vuelta a Espana he had a bad day where he lost a lot of time - but then won the mountain jersey and three stages. He also won the Liège – Bastogne – Liège monument.
Many long-standing top performers are leaving Soudal – Quick-Step
This winter the Soudal – Quick-Step team is working on a slightly bigger change. A total of 12 drivers are leaving the team and 10 new drivers are now joining. With Michael Morkov a real legend leaves the team. The former best driver in the world has been driving for Patrick Lefevere since 2018. Also Florian Senechal, Dries Devenyns, Remi Cavagna, Tim Declercq and David Ballerini turn their backs on the team. They have all been an integral part of the Wolfpack for years and have achieved numerous successes together. In the person of Fabio Jacobsen Quick-Step also loses its absolute top sprinter. And with Andrea Bagioli one of the up-and-coming drivers of the 2023 season. The Swiss Mauro Schmid and the German Jannik Steimle were also transferred. The question arises: How does Quick-Step plan to absorb these losses? Ultimately, the sports management decided to focus entirely on youth.
2024: Landa, Moscon & 6 promising talents
In addition to sprinter Jakobsen, Quick-Step has brought in numerous riders who have their strengths primarily on the flat. This is a clear indication that the Belgian team wants to invest more in Evenepoel in the future. With Mikel Landa The Belgian has now been given a strong climber at his side. The Spaniard has the necessary experience in major national tours to be able to make a perhaps decisive contribution to Evenepoel's second Grand Tour victory. Another notable newcomer is Gianni Moscon. The Italian was considered a mega talent years ago and almost won Paris - Roubaix. After that, however, things went downhill for him. In addition to accusations of racism, he no longer performed well. If he finds his way back to his old strength, he will be a real asset for the team - at least in terms of sport. We can be really excited about the numerous young newcomers. The American Luke Lamperti is a great sprinter talent, William Junior Lecerf is considered the puncher of the future and Gil Gelders loves the hard-as-nails northern classics on cobblestones. The new young wild ones are completed by the French Antoine Huby and Paul Magnier, as well as from the Belgian Warre Vangheluwe. They are all between 19 and 22 years old. So the future has been taken care of.