Plans to integrate the two teams emerged 10 days ago, with a new team set to run under the auspices of Soudal and Visma, and Ming about the results of such a move
According to the latest reports, 6 riders, including Remco Evenepoel, and title sponsor Soudal, possibly a bicycle supplier. It has been shown that Specialized in the Netherlands can join the team.
Primos Roglis is expected to leave and join Bora Hansgrohe, but Jonas Vingegaard and Uut van Aalto, team leaders so far, have kept their mouths firmly on his own future. He is approached by the management of Jumbo-Visma, but is linked to the Ineos Grenadier. But if Lefevre can keep the current team alive, Evenepoel is under contract and will have to leave the contract or buy himself.
About 50 riders have signed contracts with both teams and many staff in 2024, raising questions and concerns about their future. This is where Lefevere can become flavorful.
A report by Het Laatste Nieuws on Wednesday showed Lefevere trying to save stranded riders and staff by keeping the team running under the QuickStep WorldTour license. However, he will have to secure a sponsor, hire 27 riders and complete the plan before the mid-month deadline for uci's team registration.
Het Laatste Nieuws reports that the project is "the rest of the team" and aims to keep running "for a few years," but a lot of questions rests on the idea.
With the exception of Evenepoel, a total of 23 riders have signed with the team in 2024, including double World champion Julian Alaphilippe, Classics stars Yves Lampaert and Kasper Asgreen, climbers Mikel Landa and Ilan Van Wilder and sprinter Tim Merlier. Sponsors such as QuickStep, Renson, Latexco and Safety Jogger are likely to fund the team as they may be excluded from the acquisition/merger with Jumbo-Visma. However, teams must prove to the UCI that they have the funds and sporting talent to participate in the World Tour through Uci's sports and financial standards.
Riders and staff currently on the team have not yet been informed about Lefevere's plans, Hetlaatstenieuws says.
Soudal-QuickStep recently canceled a team building gathering next week amid ongoing uncertainty and anger about a potential merger. Following the victory at Tre Valli Varesine, Van Wilder spoke passionately about the future of the team.
"This victory is for our staff and my teammates, and to show that we don't agree with all this shit, we continue the Soudal-QuickStep "We hope to be strong enough and like this.
Nevertheless, Le Feverle's action plan to save the Belgian team is ticking.
If the plan and license to save the team do not materialize by 10/19, all riders and staff will be released from contract at the late stage of the "transfer period" in 2024.
If a team does not continue next season, Uci will "re-evaluate" the license at any time, and after issuing a statement declaring that "If the continuation of any team in the 2024 season is not guaranteed, the number of UCI World teams will be in the 2024 and 2025 seasons of 17 teams." The World Tour is set to continue with 17 teams.
This statement effectively closed the door on pro-tems such as Uno-X and Israel-Premier Tech being awarded WorldTour place. They will have to purchase the Soudal-QuickStep team snd to integrate its own current riders and staff into it to ensure WorldTour for the next two seasons.
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