Soudal - Quick Step Thread

[ciranda]

The process known as chavanelization.

 

[LesDiablesRouges]

Looks like Deceuninck is building an extremely strong GC team for the future with Remco, Alameida, and Vansevenant.

 

[hayneplane]

Looks like Deceuninck is building an extremely strong GC team for the future with Remco, Alameida, and Vansevenant.

Potentially Bagioli as well

 

[BlueRoads]

No fractures for Hodeg, so I'm hoping everything else is alright as well. This would have been a good chance for him today, but health is most important, right?

 

[Bakkie]

I hope they will soon have certainty for next season. Soon the sponors will extend or they find new. They have 4 riders for next season. A lot of work todo.

 

[Naico]

Looks like Deceuninck is building an extremely strong GC team for the future with Remco, Alameida, and Vansevenant.

I think at this point Almeida is almost certain to leave them. Teams have shown specific interest and it's been leaked throughout certain media. DQS tried discussing salary raises, but that was blocked by his management. And since Saturday we know that his management put an ultimatum of the end of February for a proposal to stay.
Looks to me that there are specific offers on the table and a deal is done/almost done to sign elsewhere.
I hope i'm wrong though..

 

[carolina]

Almeida is likely going to UAE.

 

[tobydawq]

Almeida is likely going to UAE.

I thought he was there just last week.

Badum-tsch.

 

[Parrulo]

I think at this point Almeida is almost certain to leave them. Teams have shown specific interest and it's been leaked throughout certain media. DQS tried discussing salary raises, but that was blocked by his management. And since Saturday we know that his management put an ultimatum of the end of February for a proposal to stay.
Looks to me that there are specific offers on the table and a deal is done/almost done to sign elsewhere.
I hope i'm wrong though..

Interesting but in what media did you see that? Also why would his managment block salary discussions and then make an ultimatum to have an offer? It doesn't really add up.

I actually think will leave the team, even if i don't think it is the best option, but these rumours are all very strange.

How does Lefevere ususally handle these type of situations? The team seems to be firmly behind Almeida and he was named leader for the Giro because Remco won't be back to top shape in time. Lefevere doesn't seem like the type of guy to continue investing a guy that has one foot out of the door,.

Almeida is likely going to UAE.

To be honest, it doesn't seem like a great decision. At DQS he has Remco and JA ahead of him, at UAE he will have Pog and Hirschi so it will be pretty much the same.

 

[Red Rick]

Interesting but in what media did you see that? Also why would his managment block salary discussions and then make an ultimatum to have an offer? It doesn't really add up.

I actually think will leave the team, even if i don't think it is the best option, but these rumours are all very strange.

How does Lefevere ususally handle these type of situations? The team seems to be firmly behind Almeida and he was named leader for the Giro because Remco won't be back to top shape in time. Lefevere doesn't seem like the type of guy to continue investing a guy that has one foot out of the door,.



To be honest, it doesn't seem like a great decision. At DQS he has Remco and JA ahead of him, at UAE he will have Pog and Hirschi so it will be pretty much the same.

Yes, but $$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[ice&fire]

To be honest, it doesn't seem like a great decision. At DQS he has Remco and JA ahead of him, at UAE he will have Pog and Hirschi so it will be pretty much the same.

Do you think Jorge Mendes knows any of those dudes you name in your post?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There may also be Portuguese teammates waiting for Almeida at UAE (holding free money bags and vaccines).

 

[rghysens]

Yes, but $$$$$$$$$$$$

Basically this, I guess. The budget of UAE is estimated to be twice that of DQS.

 

[Naico]

Interesting but in what media did you see that? Also why would his managment block salary discussions and then make an ultimatum to have an offer? It doesn't really add up.

I actually think will leave the team, even if i don't think it is the best option, but these rumours are all very strange.

How does Lefevere ususally handle these type of situations? The team seems to be firmly behind Almeida and he was named leader for the Giro because Remco won't be back to top shape in time. Lefevere doesn't seem like the type of guy to continue investing a guy that has one foot out of the door,.



To be honest, it doesn't seem like a great decision. At DQS he has Remco and JA ahead of him, at UAE he will have Pog and Hirschi so it will be pretty much the same.

This was brought up by PL himself in his HNB collumns. He's a big Almeida believer but at the same guy someone who doesn't appreciate agents playing (mind) games. There are also ongoing discussions with Deceuninck to see if they'll stay as sponsor and if they can increase the budget of their sponsoring (deadline end of March). That will also play a role.

The salary discussion was to raise it during his current contract and eventually creating options for a renewal. But at the same time there's nog guarantee the sponsors will continue...Julian, Remco, Lampaert and Vansevenant have a renewal clause like that for example.

But yeah, to me at seems there's already a pre-agreement with another team. He has ties with Matxin and the Portuguese riders at UAE (the twins and Rui Costa).

 

[Mayomaniac]

I expect Carthage levels of saltiness from Lefevere if Matxin signs another one of his riders, that's gonna be entertaining.

 

[Red Rick]

Is there any chance Mendes has anything to do with it?

 

[Mayomaniac]

Is there any chance Mendes has anything to do with it?

Almeida, the Oliveira twins and Ruben Guerreiro are managed by João Correia, but the later has a deal with Mendes, who is promoting the commercial image of Almeida and Guerreiro. So he is involved, but not directly when it comes to negotiating cycling contracts for them, it's mainly getting sponsorship deals for those athletes and about promoting them as a brand.

 

[carolina]

The rumors I ear in Portugal are related with more money and also the presence of several portuguese riders in the UAE team. I was also told that the reason he's not there yet is because Lefevere wanted a ton of money to break his contract.

I also think he should stay with Quickstep. They are doing great work with him and he has a lot of opportunities and confidence from his team. UAE has so many good riders, I don't see what's in it for him, except for the money, of course.

 

[Parrulo]

This was brought up by PL himself in his HNB collumns. He's a big Almeida believer but at the same guy someone who doesn't appreciate agents playing (mind) games. There are also ongoing discussions with Deceuninck to see if they'll stay as sponsor and if they can increase the budget of their sponsoring (deadline end of March). That will also play a role.

The salary discussion was to raise it during his current contract and eventually creating options for a renewal. But at the same time there's nog guarantee the sponsors will continue...Julian, Remco, Lampaert and Vansevenant have a renewal clause like that for example.

But yeah, to me at seems there's already a pre-agreement with another team. He has ties with Matxin and the Portuguese riders at UAE (the twins and Rui Costa).

It's surprising to see one of the best performing teams in the pro peloton struggling with sponsor discussions.

With DQS's results you would expect they would have no problem maintaining a budget right bellow super teams like Ineos and UAE.

Also with the next big Belgiam hope on their roster, I would think they will get some backing from some large Belgian companies.

 

[Naico]

I expect Carthage levels of saltiness from Lefevere if Matxin signs another one of his riders, that's gonna be entertaining.

It goes further than that. PL was a gentleman in agreeing to let Matxin get out of his contract with DQS so he could take up his role in his current team. Matxin was on DQS payroll as a scouting young talent, scouting and talking to those who joined him afterwards at UAE.
So basically (and I admit it’s a little far fetched but still) PL is partly to thank for UAE’s successes over the last 2 years. #saltbaegif

 

[Bonimenier]

Every 21 year old rider of Deceuninck has already won a race this year except Evenepoel. What a pathetic rider.

 

[Alexandre B.]

16 podiums out of 22 race days so far...

 

[pink_jersey]

Watch Cav starting win races from now on. These guys are ridiculous.

 

[tobydawq]

Who is going to miss out on Flanders selection?

They usually go with two helpers, which would be Declercq and Keisse, and if they stick to that, then they have to snub one from Alaphilippe, Asgreen, Ballerini, Lampaert, Sénéchal and Stybar who have all performed really well so far.

I might actually lean on Ballerini, since he hasn't shown that much since the opening weekend. Plus it is known that the winner of Omloop shall not win Flanders, so why bother sending him?

PCS actually lists Devenyns (no Keisse, no Sénéchal) on their provisionary start list but I have a hard time seeing that happening. He hasn't ridden in Flanders so far this season and has not exactly been lighting anything up.

 

[SafeBet]

Yeah Ballerini is the most likely to sit this one and come back for PR.