The French sports newspaper, L’Équipe, is quite definitive when it comes to the sporting future of the 23-year-old Belgian. The French sports newspaper is based on reports from people within Soudal Quick-Step who are closely following the process. According to L’Équipe, it is clear that Evenepoel will ride for INEOS Grenadiers in 2024 if the merger between Jumbo-Visma and his current team, Soudal Quick-Step, goes through. “Everyone in the industry knows that Remco will never ride for Richard Plugge,” people close to Evenepoel assured the newspaper.
“As soon as the merger is completed and Plugge’s company takes over, all contracts of Patrick Lefevere’s cyclists will be terminated, following agreements between the parties. Evenepoel only needs to sign his contract with INEOS Grenadiers. This can be sorted out in five minutes,” an important agent familiar with the matter told L’Équipe.
Pre-contract has already been signed
L’Équipe states that a pre-contract has already been signed between the British team and Evenepoel, who has been frequently linked to the team of Geraint Thomas, Egan Bernal, and Laurens De Plus in recent months.
On Monday, the definitive answer?
The parties involved in the whole merger story remain silent for now, although Patrick Lefevere, CEO of Soudal Quick-Step, revealed the imminent merger for the first time in his regular column for the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday. “After the letter of intent, everything has dragged on for a long time. But this cannot continue for another three days. Zdenek Bakala is currently flying to Europe. There should be much more clarity by Monday.”