Jumbo - QuickStep merger

[Salvarani]

HLN, Belgian newspaper, today on the Evenepoel saga:

"Nothing has yet been decided, in the form of a signed agreement or 'handshake' deal - everything in due time -, but the signals that have reached us in recent days certainly indicate that with this intention things are going in the right direction and that there is a very real chance that the two strongest Belgian riders - Evenepoel and Wout van Aert - will ride together in the same team in 2024."

No idea what their sources are, but they are diametrically opposite to L'Equipe. I think the conclusion is: nobody knows except Evenepoel himself. But him going to Visma would make sense if Bakala started this whole merger plan after daddy Evenepoel complained to him... which is something that Lefevere mentioned in his column, so one of the few things that has been confirmed by someone actually involved in the merger.

So Patrick Evenepoel is the one to really blame for all of this.

Not Lefevere.

 

[Samamba]

Question is.. where can he find a spot?

Not at a WT-team, I reckon.

He would probably be lucky to get a contract with Corratec or something at this stage of the year or at a devo team.

Plenty of WT teams that would want to have them and kept a few spots open because of this merger. Might not be at the prize he hopes for but getting a spot somewhere won't be a problem. Just like for almost every contracted QS rider btw. WT or top level PCT wont be a problem.

 

[Salvarani]

Plenty of WT teams that would want to have them and kept a few spots open because of this merger. Might not be at the prize he hopes for but getting a spot somewhere won't be a problem. Just like for almost every contracted QS rider btw. WT or top level PCT wont be a problem.

I was only talking about Svcrek.

I dont think there are many WT-teams going after him and not many of the PCT teams either. Unless he is already part of a deal to lets say Ineos.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

QS is the team in cycling with the longest traditions

I think Unzue would be very offended if he read this.

 

[theyoungest]

So Patrick Evenepoel is the one to really blame for all of this.

Not Lefevere.

This is the bit from Lefevere's column where he talks about this:

Before the Tour, there was a meeting between Zdenek Bakala and Robert van der Wallen (Dutch billionaire who sits on the Supervisory Board of Jumbo-Visma, ed.). This happened in the context of OneCycling, a project in which a number of top teams want to unite to position ourselves more strongly in the cycling economy.”

“In any case, things got along well between Bakala and Van der Wallen, but in the meantime there was also dissatisfaction with our team, which was allegedly not functioning well enough. In that context, father Patrick Evenepoel had also spoken one-on-one with Bakala, in this case in Geneva. Highly exceptional for a rider's agent, but whatever. Those two things together led Bakala to contact Robert van der Wallen again.”

So Bakala meets Van der Wallen and the two get along. Evenepoel complains to Bakala, and Bakala contacts Van der Wallen again to fix the problem. It would make sense if once the problem is "fixed" the Evenepoels don't suddenly turn around and leave, but of course nothing prevents them from doing so.

 

[Samamba]

I was only talking about Svcrek.

I dont think there are many WT-teams going after him and not many of the PCT teams either. Unless he is already part of a deal to lets say Ineos.

He literally just got 3rd at the u23 WC after a very strong race, plenty of bottom half WT or top level Pro Conti teams will give him an offer. For example DSM. Those teams can lowball guys like him massively, there's no reason for them to not go for him. At worst it's a team like q36.5, which isn't horrible for him. The only riders that will have throuble finding a team imo are Bastiaans and Warlop. Would be 2 painful stories.

It's more like that as a result of this other non QS riders will have a harder time finding a team at the end of the year. At the end of the day it's a good professional team that's disappearing so less spots for pro riders.

 

[noob]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1708757332597878928

View: https://twitter.com/BenjiNaesen/status/1708757332597878928

 

[Salvarani]

He literally just got 3rd at the u23 WC after a very strong race, plenty of bottom half WT or top level Pro Conti teams will give him an offer. For example DSM. Those teams can lowball guys like him massively, there's no reason for them to not go for him. At worst it's a team like q36.5, which isn't horrible for him. The only riders that will have throuble finding a team imo are Bastiaans and Warlop. Would be 2 painful stories.

It's more like that as a result of this other non QS riders will have a harder time finding a team at the end of the year. At the end of the day it's a good professional team that's disappearing so less spots for pro riders.

Ok, you got it.

Dont think I have ever said he wont get a contract, just that he might struggle.

 

[Salvarani]

This is the bit from Lefevere's column where he talks about this:


So Bakala meets Van der Wallen and the two get along. Evenepoel complains to Bakala, and Bakala contacts Van der Wallen again to fix the problem. It would make sense if once the problem is "fixed" the Evenepoels don't suddenly turn around and leave, but of course nothing prevents them from doing so.

Sounds like a thought-out plan and someone who went behind people backs to get what they want for themselves.

 

[hrotha]

Obviously I don't know the details but I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't turn out everyone involved was an A-hole

 

[Berniece]

Was Senechal always end of contract? He's going to Arkea

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Was Senechal always end of contract?

Yes

 

[Mayomaniac]

If there's some backlash from Fans/Media I totally expect Lefevre to throw Evenepoel under the bus after everything is said and done, to Shift the blame.

 

[Salvarani]

If there's some backlash from Fans/Media I totally expect Lefevre to throw Evenepoel under the bus after everything is said and done, to Shift the blame.

It is word against word of what is true.

But if agent (Remcos dad) went to the higher ups to make sure his son got to a better team, then what is left for Lefevere? After losing the main sponsor, the biggest asset and considering he is not the youngest man himself. Feels like this is personal between Pat and Pat.

The rider is bigger than the team, in this case, and the powers that be. It was always a risk looking at how they have gone about the team in the past few seasons. It is doesnt take much for it to fall apart completely, when you have put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Lo squalo di messina]

Wait that wannabe agent patrick evenepoel went behind pat s back to complain to bakala about the team?

 

[roundabout]

This is the bit from Lefevere's column where he talks about this:


So Bakala meets Van der Wallen and the two get along. Evenepoel complains to Bakala, and Bakala contacts Van der Wallen again to fix the problem. It would make sense if once the problem is "fixed" the Evenepoels don't suddenly turn around and leave, but of course nothing prevents them from doing so.

I still don't get what's in it for Bakala

I mean, ok Evenepoel is not happy, but to make him happy the team is dismantled for what exactly?

 

[Berniece]

I still don't get what's in it for Bakala

I mean, ok Evenepoel is not happy, but to make him happy the team is dismantled for what exactly?

He will be one of the shareholders of Soudal-Visma. He loves the sport, and now he has a part of the best team in the world. I think he does it for that reason.

 

[roundabout]

He will be one of the shareholders of Soudal-Visma. He loves the sport, and now he has a part of the best team in the world. I think he does it for that reason.

Wouldn't that mean that it is a merger? I mean I don't really see any other alternatives how Bakala would get a part of Soudal-Visma and have Evenepoel be under contract with them.

I mean I kind of doubt that Bakala would trade Soudal to JV and Evenepoel to a third team as it would dilute the value of what he has.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Wouldn't that mean that it is a merger? I mean I don't really see any other alternatives how Bakala would get a part of Soudal-Visma and have Evenepoel be under contract with them.

Sell shares (probably by this morning entirely worthless) in one company, buy shares in another. A change in the assets of an individual, not a merger. Whether or not they get Evenepoel is in Evenepoel's hands as a free agent.

It is only a merger if every asset, liability and contract that SOQ had, and that TJV had, is transferred to a new entity.

 

[roundabout]

Sell shares (probably by this morning entirely worthless) in one company, buy shares in another. A change in the assets of an individual, not a merger.

But that's what I am getting at, that all the value of the previous investment would be destroyed in the process.

I am leaning toward the a-word part of the explanation for what is happening (or has happened?) and that's not altruism.

 

[Berniece]

Wouldn't that mean that it is a merger? I mean I don't really see any other alternatives how Bakala would get a part of Soudal-Visma and have Evenepoel be under contract with them.

I mean I kind of doubt that Bakala would trade Soudal to JV and Evenepoel to a third team as it would dilute the value of what he has.

You can always create structures the way that it benefits all parties. They could set up a company above the current Jumbo-Visma where Bakala is a shareholder of, and that company will own 100% of the Jumbo-Visma company who still keeps the WT license.

 

[roundabout]

You can always create structures the way that it benefits all parties. They could set up a company above the current Jumbo-Visma where Bakala is a shareholder of, and that company will own 100% of the Jumbo-Visma company who still keeps the WT license.

Sorry, I am still not getting the maths for the sides involved.

Ok, Bakala trades his SQS stake for Visma-Amazon whatever. Trades as in shuts down QS?

Ex-Jumbo get Soudal in at the cost of Bakala's stake?

Is it really worth it for them to get a sponsor at a cost when there is perhaps still 1 year of possible sponsorship search left?

 

[Berniece]

Sorry, I am still not getting the maths for the sides involved.

Ok, Bakala trades his SQS stake for Visma-Amazon whatever. Trades as in shuts down QS?

Ex-Jumbo get Soudal in at the cost of Bakala's stake?

Is it really worth it for them to get a sponsor at a cost when there is perhaps still 1 year of possible sponsorship search left?

Yes, to all your questions, I think.

 

[Salvarani]

Sorry, I am still not getting the maths for the sides involved.

Ok, Bakala trades his SQS stake for Visma-Amazon whatever. Trades as in shuts down QS?

Ex-Jumbo get Soudal in at the cost of Bakala's stake?

Is it really worth it for them to get a sponsor at a cost when there is perhaps still 1 year of possible sponsorship search left?

We aint know the details but if Bakala and Robert van der Wallen have come to some sort of agreement then it is what it is. I dont think anybody at Jumbo, like Plugge, has the power to just say "no".

Especially not if they are getting a sponsor worth millions for multiple years + Remco delivered to them.

Whoever starting this ball rolling had some plan and they went straight to the chain of command, who can make something like this happen.

 

[noob]

All this time noob wanted to know who in the cycling world was severely on the dark triad. Clearly a lot of them but forgot to look higher up. Ugly. So ugly.