Jumbo - QuickStep merger

[Mayomaniac]

My boy coming back from his holidays eager to meet his new teammates

Incoming Jumbo Landa hype!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Incoming Jumbo Landa hype!

You just know there will be a moment on a huge climb, where he's looking around all bored and nose-breathing with a Jumbo GC prospect struggling on his wheel.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I guess half empty Ineos will probably pick up most of Evenepoel's crew.

 

[Oldermanish]

I guess half empty Ineos will probably pick up most of Evenepoel's crew.

If they get Roglic they'll need better than that.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Imagine Landa getting a call, you are free now.

 

[joseph89]

Masnada is winning Il Lombardia.

 

[Samamba]

This so called merger that absolutely shouldn't be called a merger is actually horrible. Even as a Lotto fan that in the past wished QS would just disappear hates whoever made this happen. It's disugusting. Making a team disappear, for what exactly? And it being at the end of the season makes it 10 times worse.

 

[peterfin]

Masnada is winning Il Lombardia.

Unless he has no contract and can't start.

 

[Netserk]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer team. I'm oh so truly sad that we won't see more of Lefevere.

 

[peterfin]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer team. I'm oh so truly sad that we won't see more of Lefevere.

Or maybe just more? In his potential new role at Soudal Visma he will have much more time to talk to the press.

 

[carolina]

This is very confusing. What's the point of the merger if Jumbo is not taking any rider from Soudal-Quickstep? Is it just Soudal wanting to sponsor a different team, because they're unhappy with the current results?

 

[Rackham]

This is very confusing. What's the point of the merger if Jumbo is not taking any rider from Soudal-Quickstep? Is it just Soudal wanting to sponsor a different team, because they're unhappy with the current results?

Merger was PR, I think, in this context. I get a hunch some insider told Raymond Kerckhoffs what to write last Sunday with his 'merger' leak on WielerFlits.

It reality it's Soudal ditching Quick-Step, dissolving the team & jumping in bed with Visma & Plugge's people who need a new title sponsor. It's a form of acquisition, with the 'acquiring' done by the general manager of Jumbo Visma who needed a sponsor from a rival team & that sponsor playing ball. Quick-Step's staff are the cliché here, i.e. victims of a rival firm's takeover & then summarily fired/paid off.

It's ugly stuff tbh & I'm curious to see how the media (& people involved) will spin this story.

 

[CyclistAbi]

It looks like it all started due to JV needed a new sponsor and SOQ lost Remco. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

 

[ManicJack]

Very strange situation from what little we actually know. Soudal either had an opt out clause in their sponsorship agreement or something even more strange went down. I hope that last minute infusion of Amazon $ wasn't responsible for QS completely falling apart. 🤷

 

[Berniece]

This so called merger that absolutely shouldn't be called a merger is actually horrible. Even as a Lotto fan that in the past wished QS would just disappear hates whoever made this happen. It's disugusting. Making a team disappear, for what exactly? And it being at the end of the season makes it 10 times worse.

For money? Due to how the business model of cycling is set up there aren't really "teams". Just sponsorships, and sponsors/owners wanted out.

 

[yaco]

At reduced wages as well, due to the number of riders flooding the market this late in the season. Getting axed by Quick-Step is a bad place to negotiate from when you're desperate for a pro contract elsewhere.

Not necessarily so as a few teams have planned for this merger and left roster spots available.

 

[ManicJack]

For money? Due to how the business model of cycling is set up there aren't really "teams". Just sponsorships, and sponsors/owners wanted out.

If QS decided that they just wanted out and bailed on everyone, that is terrible

 

[Tim Cahill]

This just reads more and more like a coup?

 

[EddyMazzoleni]

So basically Soudal just decide to change from one team to another?

 

[yaco]

This so called merger that absolutely shouldn't be called a merger is actually horrible. Even as a Lotto fan that in the past wished QS would just disappear hates whoever made this happen. It's disugusting. Making a team disappear, for what exactly? And it being at the end of the season makes it 10 times worse.

It seems to be a case of LeFevre wanting to take a backseat role and possibly Bakala wanting to win a TDF which feels is not possible at QS.

 

[Samamba]

For money? Due to how the business model of cycling is set up there aren't really "teams". Just sponsorships, and sponsors/owners wanted out.

That's just BS, as most licenses aren't owned by sponsors at all (some are owners, most aren't).

Ofcourse there are teams.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

It seems that the non-cycling staff at SOQ have no protection, but under a merger perhaps had very little. But what of the SOQ riders? If what is now happening is their team folding under the financial pressure of a main sponsor leaving, then I guess the authority of UCI to insist that all rider contracts are paid off as the condition of a merger no longer applies.

 

[staubsauger]

Soudal, Remco & Lefevere all 3 wanted out. Most notably Lefevere himself and Remco.

It's simply end of the road for Quick Step.

They never really invested in refreshing their classics squad after 2019.

They were successful with what they still had in 2020 & 2021. Once Jakobsen had his crash and never became the new Kittel, and Alaphilippe declined it was basically just the big plan with Remco. Even if Cav was superb in 2021 of course and Asgreen.

Of course riders like Asgreen are still good and a certain doctor switching teams to Movistar also plays a factor in the underperformances from 2022 on.

But while Quick Step never refreshed the classics squad, they couldn't build the needed support squad for Remco from the scratch either. Lefevere had his niche where he could be a big competitor in a small market even with a somewhat smaller budget. Building a grand tour team wasn't that niche.

But Lefevere is nearly 70. Apart from the Tour de France dream with Remco, he has seen and won it all. Neither Lefevere nor Remco have the time to build up for 5 years. Remco wants a strong team now: Ineos. Lefevere calls it quit then.

Soudal wanted to sponsor a big Benelux grand tour team. That never matched with Quick Step. Especially not with Remco wanting to leave and then Pat being fine with pension.

Yes it looks a bit shabby from Plugges side. But in the end Plugge, Soudal, Lefevere, Remco all get what they want.

The question is why Quick Step & Soudal ever set sail together to begin with .

 

[Rackham]

Neither Lefevere nor Remco have the time to build up for 5 years. Remco wants a strong team now: Ineos. Lefevere calls it quit then.

Good overall analysis but there's also another element, i.e. Soudal might not have wanted to wait until Evenepoel was ready either.

It's a two way street, i.e. based on his performances, he didn't show he could compete for the TdF next year. That's just a fact. So while Evenepoel wanted stronger support & the team arguably failed to achieve that, it can also be said Evenepoel himself didn't show he was ready for that Tour push either.

And it remains a question mark even if he goes to Ineos.

 

[CyclistAbi]

The question is why Quick Step & Soudal ever set sail together to begin with .

Likely betting it all on Remco, then Remco wanting out, that took some wind out of the sails.