Cycling, dramatic turn of events: Lefevere leaves Soudal Quick-Step

Rome, 11 December 2024 – The twist in the cycle market comes from the flagships: Patrick Lefebvre il 31th December will leave the Soudal Quick Step after well 21 years of militancy and, above all, zero notice.

I dettagli

To understand the longevity of the Belgian manager's management, we need to rewind the tape to 2003, when the Mapei merged with the Domo-Farm Frites, starting the adventure that has lasted so far and which has created the so-called 'wolf pack': since then almost all of them have ended up in the bag 1000 hits, among which well 22 Monument Classics and a Great Tour, 2022 lap won by Remco Evenepoel. Curiously, this autumn had opened with rumours of farewell that concerned precisely the 2000-born player, courted by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. Nothing came of it, but the occasion was propitious to witness yet another Lefevere show: a frontal attack on the counterpart Ralph Denk, guilty of having entered with a forceful attack on one of his members. The former cyclist, a professional since 1976 al 1979, it has always been an active volcano which now however will not disappear completely from the planet Soudal Quick Step, becoming an honorary member of the board of directors together with Zenek Bakala, Aurel Van Zyl e Jurgen Fore: to the latter the honor and the burden of becoming the post Lefevere, but with one thing already certain. "I won't be his clone." The comment of the almost ex-team manager himself was not long in coming. "Leaving a role to which I have given so much is something that changes your life. Cycling still deeply fascinates me, but I felt that it was time to turn the page. I started working with Jurgen in recent months to facilitate the transition: in light of how the relationships with sponsors and partners have evolved, I think the team has a bright future ahead of it and is in excellent hands."

Merckx's statements

From a parenthesis, almost a geological era, that closes with a surprise, there is another shorter one that does so, but with a nice sigh of relief: Eddy Merckx, fell off his bike a few days ago, He was successfully operated on his fractured hip. But beware of imagining that this accident, not exactly the first, could represent the breaking point of the love between the Cannibal and the bike. Indeed: the 79-year-old, half-jokingly and half-seriously, is already studying the countermeasures to adopt when the doctors, after the recovery and rehabilitation phase that awaits him, give the green light to get back on the bike. "I'm fine, even if I was scared. The doctor replaced my hip and said that everything went well: even the pain level is improving. From now on I will ride a bike, which could happen in a few weeks, with additional small training wheels, the ones that children use". In short, not exactly an image that is in keeping with the greatest of all time.

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