Former World champion Julian Arafillippe described the prospect that his team, Soudal-QuickStep, could soon cease to exist in its current form as "sadder than anything" and strongly hopes that the ongoing uncertainty about the future will soon end.

Comments by Alaphilippe, a member of Soudal-QuickStep with a previous career and a contract to the end of 2024, revealed that the team's riders, like other cycling circles, are waiting for more complete information.

However, Alaphilippe also expressed regret that one of cycling's longest top teams would no longer exist in its current form, assuming that fusion with Jumbo-Visma would proceed.

"We don't know much, it's a bit complicated for everyone we try to keep focused on the race,と我々は状況がすぐに自分自身を解決するこCyclingPro.net At the start of the Coppabernocchi on Monday.

"It's sadder than anything because this is a team that has been at the heart of cycling for many years and has its own history.

"But we are not going to cry. We're here to race and see what happens.

Alaphilippe described the spread of question marks about mergers as "a bit annoying." The lack of information is filled with a seemingly endless number of rumors, but some difficult facts, since the news of a potential merger was leaked to Wielerflits more than a week ago.

Patrick Lefevere, the boss of the Soudal team, has said he expects more news about the merger on Monday, while other riders have said Alaphilippe and Soudal-QuickStep could disappear in their current form

"I'm not asking all the questions about it personally," said the former Fulham manager. Lance National champion Florian Senesial told RTBFt over the weekend, "Because I will leave the team at the end of the season. I just feel a little bad to see the history of such QuickStep finishing.

"Nothing has been decided. We don't know anything," added Sénéchal, who will be riding at the B&B hotel in Alcea next season. "But I hope that the staff will not remain hanging as a result.

Christophe Laporte of Jumbo-Visma said in the same article that he was in the dark about the future of both teams, "just like everyone else."

"Obviously, we're asking ourselves questions because we don't know what's going to happen."

Given the considerable uncertainty surrounding Soudal-QuickStep, questions about Remco Evenpoel's departure from the team – the one that completely died – are back on the agenda again.

In the lead over the weekend, French sports daily L'Equipe quoted an unnamed agent saying that if the Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep fusion occurs, all the riders of the Belgian team will no longer be under contract and Evenepoel could sign Ineos Grenadier "in five minutes". .

But in reality, at this point in the game, only speculation is available to fill the void of genuine information.