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The (increasingly) announced merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step continues to make noise… and waves. This hypothesis inevitably raises the question of the future of Remco Evenepoel who is hard to see integrating into a team with Vingegaard, Van Aert and Kuss, even if Roglic is expected to leave the Dutch team.
Asked by het Nieuwsblad, Patrick Lefevere confirmed the existence of discussions with Jumbo-Visma for a possible merger, even specifying that a “letter of intent” had been signed by the managers of the two teams. “We should see things more clearly by Monday,” said the Belgian manager, who apologised a few days ago for these rumours… which he said were false.
If this merger goes through, it will be a real domino effect. Primoz Roglic and Florian Sénéchal, for example, have already confirmed that they will be looking for a new employer. This is not surprising when you know that a World Tour team is entitled to a maximum of 30 riders, and that in the event of a merger, 50 pros would end up in the same structure. That’s 20 names to eliminate, which is a lot.
According to a riders’ agent, interviewed by the French daily newspaper l’Equipe, for Evenepoel, things are clear. ” Everyone knows in the industry that Remco will never ride for Plugge (the boss of Jumbo-Visma, editor’s note). As soon as the merger is completed and Plugge’s company takes over, all the contracts of the Lefevere’s riders will be void. And, before signing a new one with Plugge, Evenepoel will only have to initial a contract that is already ready at Ineos. In five minutes, it will be done. ”
