Jumbo - QuickStep merger

[pastronef]

There's no way Plugge lets Evenepoel slip through his fingers if this merger goes through. No way. He's the prize here.

It's like besieging the ancient city of Troy & letting Helen escape out the backdoor. No way. Evenepoel has to be what they're after.

they are after a sponsor for when Jumbo leaves. in the Wilierflits piece Jumbo is not mentioned with the new name. it's Visma-Soudal, or Soudal-Visma
Plugge needs a sponsor. the Jumbo remaining sponsors (Visma, Cervelo etc) made clear to Plugge in the past months they didnt want to be associated with a Saudi baker (Neom) and probably Plugge thought it was better not to be associated with the Saudi regime. so first thing first: get a backer. Remco and Specialized might have different ideas about the merger

 

[tobydawq]

There's no way Plugge lets Evenepoel slip through his fingers if this merger goes through. No way. He's the prize here.

It's like besieging the ancient city of Troy & letting Helen escape out the backdoor. No way. Evenepoel has to be what they're after.

But what do they need him for? And how can they think he will be able to co-exist with Vingegaard and Wout?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Looks like some have been blindsided

https://twitter.com/x/status/1706007079113114092

Note to aspiring empty suits, tell your staff before it leaks to the press.

 

[theyoungest]

There's no way Plugge lets Evenepoel slip through his fingers if this merger goes through. No way. He's the prize here.

It's like besieging the ancient city of Troy & letting Helen escape out the backdoor. No way. Evenepoel has to be what they're after.

I don't think Evenepoel was really what they're after. It's just survival of their team. It looks like they just really couldn't find a sponsor, which of course is quite sad for the most successful team in the peloton. It speaks volumes about where cycling is at right now, certainly in the Netherlands. Dead in the water.

Of course now if they do have this merger happening, they'll at least want to get Evenepoel. Pretty much the only must-have rider from that team.

 

[Winnen]

EDIT: Nevermind, someone else made the joke a page back....

 

[Anderis]

It looks like they just really couldn't find a sponsor, which of course is quite sad for the most successful team in the peloton. It speaks volumes about where cycling is at right now, certainly in the Netherlands. Dead in the water.

I think this may be kind of a fallacy. HTC - HIgh Road were the best team in 2011 but they also failed to find a sponsor and had to disband for 2012. Yet a lot of less successfull teams were able to continue for years and we've never had a problem to get enough WT teams.

This is counterintuitive. but being very successful may actually be a hindrance when finding a new sponsor, because you need to take such a huge financial burden to keep the team afloat. One of the reasons Jubmo-Visma got so successful is because they've been able to put together a budget that's bigger than most sponsors are willing to pay. This may be why it's more difficult for them to secure a successful sponsor takeover than it would be for a team that requires more modest budget to be kept afloat.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Maybe they should try to get Pogi too. That would be some roster. All in all there is movement behind the scenes and it will be interesting to see what comes out of it.

 

[LookProGoSlow]

Dear God, please no…

 

[Salvarani]

I think this may be kind of a fallacy. HTC - HIgh Road were the best team in 2011 but they also failed to find a sponsor and had to disband for 2012. Yet a lot of less successfull teams were able to continue for years and we've never had a problem to get enough WT teams.

This is counterintuitive. but being very successful may actually be a hindrance when finding a new sponsor, because you need to take such a huge financial burden to keep the team afloat. One of the reasons Jubmo-Visma got so successful is because they've been able to put together a budget that's bigger than most sponsors are willing to pay. This may be why it's more difficult for them to secure a successful sponsor takeover than it would be for a team that requires more modest budget to be kept afloat.

Good points.

 

[joseph89]

One things for sure, its going to be a long night for the other teams and rider agents

 

[samhocking]

I still doubt that this merger will happen next year, or ever. Just like the merger of INEOS and QS that the same author of this article called for two months ago

The cycling paddock is a very small world living in a bubble where everyone knows everyone else's business, Maybe it didn't work out merging with Ineos (if it ever was a real thing) but clearly it wouldn't have only been Brailsford aware Quickstep were up for merging with / buying the licence off.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Just read rumours on another cycling media.

I wish the new team good luck.

Both teams have been almost invisible througout the calendar for recent years, so it's not like a merge will totally kill the sport. But they will have a better chances for top-10 finishes.


*edit*, sorry didn't realize we're already on page 5 here, not read other replies to the news yet.

 

[samhocking]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1706000685366432149

View: https://www.twitter.com/renovandael/status/1706000685366432149

Daddy Remco only means Jumbo Juice, nothing more harmless than Vingo would give his own kids for breakfast!

 

[Boes]

Finally Wout Van aert will have enough domestiques to finish second on next years RVV & WC!

 

[theyoungest]

I think this may be kind of a fallacy. HTC - HIgh Road were the best team in 2011 but they also failed to find a sponsor and had to disband for 2012. Yet a lot of less successfull teams were able to continue for years and we've never had a problem to get enough WT teams.

This is counterintuitive. but being very successful may actually be a hindrance when finding a new sponsor, because you need to take such a huge financial burden to keep the team afloat. One of the reasons Jubmo-Visma got so successful is because they've been able to put together a budget that's bigger than most sponsors are willing to pay. This may be why it's more difficult for them to secure a successful sponsor takeover than it would be for a team that requires more modest budget to be kept afloat.

Jumbo's total contribution to the cycling and speedskating teams combined was not much more than 10 million euros annually. That's not such a huge amount. I mean, I don't have it on my bank account, but to be shirt sponsor of a reasonably good football team you already have to pay more.

I think it's more to do with the identity of the team. Part of the reason the former Rabo team got saved (and HTC Highroad didn't, for instance) is that they had national significance. It was kind of the Dutch national cycling team. They no longer are. In that sense they actually are a bit like HTC-Highroad: too international for their own good. That's also why I think this merger is not such a great idea. Nobody will identify with this team, it's like Man United and Man City merging.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

People are acting like Remco is the prize the JV management is after, but what if they're actually looking to accomplish the only real challenge left for them in the sport: Getting Pieter Serry to win a race.

 

[Rackham]

I don't think Evenepoel was really what they're after. It's just survival of their team. It looks like they just really couldn't find a sponsor, which of course is quite sad for the most successful team in the peloton. It speaks volumes about where cycling is at right now, certainly in the Netherlands. Dead in the water.

Of course now if they do have this merger happening, they'll at least want to get Evenepoel. Pretty much the only must-have rider from that team.

The merger kills two birds with one stone, IMO. They get the sponsor & they get a rider (Evenepoel) who can immediately deliver the monuments they failed to get in recent years. He's one of the top 3 one day riders in the world (with Van der Poel & Pog).

He's also got untapped GC potential which I'm sure their performance scientists want to take a look at & work on.

I think this may be kind of a fallacy. HTC - HIgh Road were the best team in 2011 but they also failed to find a sponsor and had to disband for 2012. Yet a lot of less successfull teams were able to continue for years and we've never had a problem to get enough WT teams.

This is counterintuitive. but being very successful may actually be a hindrance when finding a new sponsor, because you need to take such a huge financial burden to keep the team afloat. One of the reasons Jubmo-Visma got so successful is because they've been able to put together a budget that's bigger than most sponsors are willing to pay. This may be why it's more difficult for them to secure a successful sponsor takeover than it would be for a team that requires more modest budget to be kept afloat.

This was how French teams have operated for decades. Win less, earn more. It's genius.

 

[Netserk]

Jumbo's total contribution to the cycling and speedskating teams combined was not much more than 10 million euros annually. That's not such a huge amount. I mean, I don't have it on my bank account, but to be shirt sponsor of a reasonably good football team you already have to pay more.

I think it's more to do with the identity of the team. Part of the reason the former Rabo team got saved (and HTC Highroad didn't, for instance) is that they had national significance. It was kind of the Dutch national cycling team. They no longer are. In that sense they actually are a bit like HTC-Highroad: too international for their own good. That's also why I think this merger is not such a great idea. Nobody will identify with this team, it's like Man United and Man City merging.

Losing national identity in turn makes them suited for Saudi money. If that truly was an option, I don't think the other sponsors would have mattered, the Saudis would have no problem writing the full check alone.

 

[peterfin]

One things for sure, its going to be a long night for the other teams and rider agents

And for the riders of JV and SQS assuming they knew nothing.

 

[pastronef]

The merger kills two birds with one stone, IMO. They get the sponsor & they get a rider (Evenepoel) who can immediately deliver the monuments they failed to get in recent years. He's one of the top 3 one day riders in the world (with Van der Poel & Pog).

too many riders. probably I'm wrong but what Plugge needed is a sponsor, a backer. Remco was not the target. Soudal's money was the target. and Daniel Benson is also saying he talked with 2 WT managers of other teams and they think the merger is more possiboe for 2025 (cause in 2024 they'd have 50 riders under contract)
in 2024 Pinarello ends its Ineos deal, in 2025 Specialized and Remco sig for Ineos, and Soudal-Visma Visma-Soudal are ready to go (38 riders contracted for 2025)

 

[laarsland]

Someone please check if van Wilder is throwing a tantrum tonight

 

[joseph89]

Lefevere with the "no comment, sorry." But his facial expression says a merger is happening.

"Maak ervan wat je wilt": Lefevere en Evenepoel reageren op fusiegeruchten met Jumbo-Visma | sporza

Plots valt er een bom op het wielerlandschap. Gerenommeerde wielerwebsite WielerFlits kwam zondagavond met het nieuws dat Soudal - Quick Step aan een fusie werkt met Jumbo-Visma. Een goed onderbouwd gerucht waar Patrick Lefevere, grote man van die eerste topploeg, niets over kwijt wil na zijn...

sporza.be

 

[Samamba]

What's the point of a merger exactly? I don't see that many QS riders that are interesting for Jumbo? Just looks like their main goal is poaching a sponsor (Soudal) and that Bakala/Lefevere really want to sell their team. Maybe there's a 3rd team involved somewhere.

Like who exactly are the winners of a merger? The current Jumbo guys and Soudal, no one at QS really.

 

[OlavEH]

Thought this deserved its own thread. Jumbo and QuickStep are working to merge.

Fukk me. Worst news I've seen in cycling besides tragic deaths and clinic issues in god knows how long. Would be absolutely awful!

 

[pastronef]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1706011712481087607

View: https://www.twitter.com/Ajax4Keer/status/1706011712481087607