Remco Evenepoel transfer speculation was 'a lot of noise', says Soudal Quick-Step team principal Patrick Lefevere
Published 14/10/2024 at 19:52 GMT+1
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Remco Evenepoel will remain at Soudal Quick-Step for the 2025 season, team principal Patrick Lefevere has confirmed. There was plenty of chatter about the future of the Belgian rider, but Lefevere said an offer was never made for his services. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe had been strongly linked with the double Olympic champion from the Paris 2024 Games.
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Patrick Lefevere has said there was plenty of “noise” surrounding the future of Remco Evenepoel, but a decision on his future never had to be made by Soudal Quick-Step as an offer was not made for the Belgian.
Double Olympic champion Evenepoel has another two years to run on his Quick-Step contract, but there were reports of strong interest from Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
Evenepoel adopted a diplomatic stance in the months following his success at Paris 2024, suggesting his focus was on his current team.
That was in contrast to the end of 2023, when Evenepoel spoke of a desire to be challenging for top honours in the Grand Tours.
It had been suggested Bora were attempting to turn Evenepoel’s head with a stellar team to back him up in his bid for honours, but Lefevere has said nothing was ever put in front of him.
“Three parties can decide a rider's future: his current team, the team where he could go and the rider,” Lefevere told Cycling News. “Nobody made an offer, so for me, the case didn't exist.
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“It was only in the mind of some people and some journalists.
“Some people made a lot of noise but then nothing happened.”
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With a Vuelta a Espana win already on his palmares, Evenepoel has ambitions to win the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
The Tour is likely to be the target in 2025, but Lefevere teased the prospect of his rider also taking in the Giro beforehand - as Tadej Pogacar did so successfully this year.
"He wants to win the three Grand Tours during his career," Lefevere said. "He's won one, the Vuelta, so there's two to go.
“When he's good, he's very good. He's only 25 next January, there's still some progress to come.”
While keen for Evenepoel to fulfil his ambitions, Lefevere said his hands were tied financially.
“He's not stupid,” Lefevere said. “His goal was to do the Tour in 2025 and he did it one year before the goal [Evenepoel finished on the podium in third behind Pogacar].
“They have to give us the time we need to adapt with the possibilities we have. I can't call a Sheikh and ask for an extra €5 million (£4.17m), it doesn't work like that. Remco understands that."
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