The cycling world has been on edge since Sunday night due to a possible merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step. The two powerhouse teams have been in negotiations since July. The merger could be finalized at any moment, but for now, it remains hush-hush. Neither of the teams has issued an official statement on the matter as of now.
The experienced specialist Johan Bruyneel knows better than anyone what such a merger implies. And he doesn’t have pleasant memories of it. In 2011, his team, Radioshack, merged with Leopard-Trek. “That was a complete disaster,” he said in an interview with the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.
“We managed to organize everything correctly with the riders and the staff. We had eight more riders at the time, but we found good solutions for them. Some boys were paid, others transferred to other teams, but they continued to be paid by our team. These teams then received a rider completely free of charge.”
I was an intruder in the new team
On a personal level, however, the merger was a disaster. “Flavio Becca, the strongman of Leopard, had warned me in advance that the Schleck brothers and Fabian Cancellara did everything their way. I was seen as an intruder.
Sources confirm to Bruyneel that the merger is ongoing
Bruyneel emphasizes that the merger negotiations between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step are still a rumor. “But I made some calls myself, and it’s possible. I also see logic in it in various areas. The main reason for a merger is always the same for me: money. Otherwise, you wouldn’t do it.”
“After 2024, Jumbo will stop sponsoring, and apparently, the team has no guarantees for the future. Soudal is a good option; they have experience in the world of cycling. Normally, a sponsor should have an adaptation period, but that won’t be the case with Soudal.”
INEOS with Roglic or Evenepoel?
Jumbo-Visma currently has three Grand Tour riders in the team. Each of them managed to win a Grand Tour this season. A mega-merger would mean that Remco Evenepoel would also join this group of stars. For Bruyneel, the big question is who will go to INEOS: Roglic or Evenepoel?
“I’ve heard that Roglic wants to leave and might leave. It’s said that discussions are ongoing with Movistar, although I personally think that INEOS Grenadiers would be a better option for him. I also don’t see Evenepoel making the transition to the merged team. Remco has the winning mentality of a true champion. I don’t see him becoming a teammate of Vingegaard and Roglic anytime soon.”