Patrick Lefevere has signed missing rider at Soudal-Quick Step: “Bearded by managers for weeks” | cycling

“When the season is over for the riders, then my season starts.”

Patrick Lefevere has not been able to relax since the canceled takeover/merger with Jumbo-Visma.

“I sometimes look at Instagram with jealous looks. I see one driver staying in earthly paradises and doing everything that I may no longer be able to do at my age, such as jet skiing. Then I am here in Belgium…”

Lefevere still had a lot left to do. For example, Soudal-Quick Step only had 26 riders under contract next year, while a WorldTour team must have a minimum of 27.

“It had escaped my attention that all the managers who were already pushing me in December last year could see on a certain site that we were still short of a rider. I have been bombarded with requests in recent weeks,” chuckles Lefevere.

In the meantime, managers no longer have to dial Lefevere’s mobile number.

“The 27th spot has been filled since this weekend. I’m going to keep that rider’s name to myself for a while. Because I don’t know whether that boy has already communicated it to his team this year. In any case, he was at the end of his contract with that team.”

Just as Lefevere was bombarded with requests by managers, many people bombard him with the question: “How is Remco Evenepoel doing?”

“Remco left for a trip to America after the Tour of Lombardy. If everything goes well, he would now be doing tests in the wind tunnel at Specialized together with Kasper Asgreen, among others.”

Is it now certain that Evenepoel will only focus on the Tour next year? Or is there also talk of the Giro?

“Next week we will have the first meeting with the team. Then the programs will be discussed,” Lefevere concludes.