As Remco Evenepoel’s official departure from Soudal-QuickStep looms ever nearer, staff CEO Jurgen Foré has recognised the huge contribution made by the Belgian star to his squad, but in addition highlighted the drawbacks of the protracted saga surrounding Evenepoel’s exit.
Quickly to depart for brand new staff Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe – in truth he’s already at their coaching camp – Evenepoel took 67 wins throughout his time at Soudal-QuickStep, with the Vuelta a España, a podium end total and phases of the Tour de France, and a number of editions of Liège-Bastogne-Liège amongst his many triumphs.
Nonetheless, as Foré instructed Belgian newspaper Dernière Heure, whereas Evenepoel’s success was an enormous a part of Soudal’s historical past, he additionally had the sensation that for a part of the surface world, the staff „solely existed for the rider from Brabançonne [Evenepoel]“. On prime of that, he stated, the prolonged uncertainty about Evenepoel’s departure had partly befogged their rider recruitment technique.
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„We’re speaking a few course of that unfolded over a number of years… I joined the staff in January 2024, and this situation was already on the desk,“ Foré instructed Dernière Heure.
„Final winter, this doubt wasn’t useful when it got here to sure recruitment selections: was it price persevering with to take a position round Remco if he was simply going to depart just a few months later?“ Foré requested rhetorically.
When confronted with Evenepoel’s resolution to finish his contract a 12 months early, Foré argued that the staff had little room for manoeuvre, as Belgian labour regulation usually favours worker rights in these types of conditions.
„I’ve by no means hidden my opinion {that a} contract is made to be revered,“ Foré stated. „We’re not like soccer“ – a sport the place contracts are sometimes terminated early – „and I am very glad about that.
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Shifting on
Evenepoel is now about to depart, although, and the staff has continued, with Foré saying that when it turned official, „I turned a web page in my head for good.“
Trying forward, he insisted that Soudal-QuickStep would goal to win at the very least as many races in 2026 as they’d in 2025, the place the staff took 56 victories, a complete solely overwhelmed by UAE Crew Emirates-XRG.
„It has been an enormous achievement to work with a celebrity like Remco, however a brand new chapter of the staff is now about to open subsequent season,“ he reasoned.
„These previous few years, a number of of the blokes have been in a position to mature, patiently, in Remco’s shadow, however now they’re able to blossom.
„Evenepoel’s exit marks a brand new method and new duties for these riders, however I am satisfied it may be a fruitful one.“
Foré identified that Evenepoel’s abandon within the 2025 Tour de France within the Pyrenees when sick and injured had already proven how the staff may flip issues round, with a subsequent triumph on the Ventoux for Valentin Paret-Peintre coming off the again of sterling help from teammates like Pascal Eenkhoorn and Ilan Van Wilder.
Equally, the signing of riders for 2026 like Classics veterans Jasper Stuyven, amongst others, would supply the squad an opportunity to help their up-and-coming abilities corresponding to French sprinter Paul Magnier.
„Above all, and I am going to say it once more, we’re reconnecting with the staff. The Tour de France stays a very powerful occasion of the 12 months when it comes to promoting income for our companions, and my major purpose initially of a brand new season is to win there. This was a key think about our recruitment,“ Foré instructed Dernière Heure.
In what is definitely one other encouraging signal for the Soudal-QuickStep squad within the post-Evenepoel period, Foré stated that the staff’s funds was already securely in place for 2 extra years. Many of the principal sponsor contracts had been in place till the top of 2027, and the squad was already negotiating to delay them even additional.
