QuickStep-AlphaVinyl team manager Patrick Lefevere has played down suggestions that Remco Evenepoel could be tempted to leave the Belgian team for Ineos Grenadiers, insisting that the new world champion has also dismissed reports of a multi-million Euro football-style transfer.
“It’s too stupid for words. Remco himself told me on the phone that I shouldn’t believe it,” Lefevere told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad (opens in new tab), trying to calm reports that he could lose his star rider to a rival team.
“Everything is for sale but give me a reason why our boss [Zdenek Bakkala] would sell his team to another billionaire? That will not happen. 0.00 per cent.”
Lefevere sparked the swirl of reports and hypothesis himself when he told Velonews (opens in new tab) that Ineos Grenadiers team principal Dave Brailsford had recently sent him a message saying: “If one day you want to sell him give me a call.”
Velonews suggested that billionaire Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe is desperate to win the Tour de France after ploughing millions into the British team and perhaps sees Evenepoel as the best rider to lead after Egan Bernal’s training crash and the time needed to develop young riders like Tom Pidcock and Leo Hayter.
Ineos Grenadiers told Cyclingnews they would not comment on the reports.
Evenepoel signed a new contract last April that runs until 2026 and Lefevere has secured the long-term backing of Soudal, QuickStep, Specialized and others to build a Grand Tour team around the young Belgian.
Lefevere fought off interest from Ineos to sign Evenepoel back in 2018 and last year dismissed approaches from Bora-Hansgrohe. He has helped develop Evenepoel but now – after a season that saw the 22-year-old also win the Vuelta a España and Liège-Bastogne-Liège – he faces extra costs of paying significant bonuses and perhaps even needs to negotiate a new contract.
One agent suggested Evenepoel has a contract of around 2.5 million Euros per season but his 2022 success has made him the biggest rider in the sport, meaning he is now worth close to five million Euros per season.
“I have signed contracts for five years, with Remco as well as with Soudal, Quick-Step and Specialized. Alaphilippe is also locked-in for another three years. Nothing is binding in life, but I will do my very best to keep those agreements,” Lefevere told Nieuwsblad.
“I don’t like to use the word ‘family’ because if you are married you can always divorce, but there are no intentions in that…
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