2023-09-15 22:58:58
For several weeks, a possible merger project between two World Tour teams has shaken the world of cycling. We took our ears and our notepad behind the scenes of the Vuelta to try to find out a little more. The file is complex and goes in all directions, but it seems very real. “Something is happening”we are told in the industry.
To understand the origin of this hallway noise, let’s go back in time. For a while, we have known that Patrick Lefevere is open to a possible resale of its Soudal – Quick Step team. But, the manager only owns 20% of the shares in the structure. The real owner, the one who holds 80% of the shares, is the Czech businessman Zdenek Bakala. Between the two men, relations would have become strained. In July, the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad relaunched this issue of the resale of the Belgian team. But with his 20%, Patrick Lefevere does not carry much weight and does not decide the future of the team.
Second trigger, the surprisingly calm transfer market for the INEOS Grenadiers team. The British team confirmed the departure of a whole series of riders but did not announce any riders coming in the other direction. As a result, for the moment, INEOS Grenadiers only has 15 riders under contract for the 2024 season. A World Tour level team must include between 27 and 30 riders in its workforce. Very surprising behavior for the richest team in the peloton (budget of €50 million).
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