It was announced on Sunday night that Soudal QuickStep and Jumbo-Visma have been in discussions since July to merge in 2024. Cyclists and staff from both teams apparently were unaware of these negotiations and were surprised to learn the news.
In response to this concern, Patrick Lefevere sent an email to his riders and the entire staff. The Global Cycling Network (GCN) managed to view this email.
The letter, sent to GCN by a source close to the team, was written by the team’s manager, Patrick Lefevere, on Monday. It did not mention Jumbo-Visma at any point and instead spoke of general discussions with various groups.
The full email reads:
‘I am writing to you about the reports you have recently read in the media,’ Lefevere begins. ‘I can imagine that this has caused some uncertainty, for which I apologize.
There have been frequent discussions with various parties over the past month, as I have been open to talking to anyone who felt they could invest in our team and help us improve and progress. This has never been a secret,’ added the Belgian team manager.
‘However, contrary to the reports, there are no concrete projects and plans at this time. If that changes, you will be informed. In the meantime, I ask everyone to continue to show the team spirit and unity that symbolizes our team. We are at the end of a long season, but we still have several goals to make another memorable year for the team.’
The Belgian boss concluded the memo by asking riders and staff to refrain from speaking to the media and to keep the information private.