Regardless of Jasper Stuyven signing for Soudal-QuickStep for 2026, he has revealed he by no means thought he and compatriot Remco Evenepoel can be teammates, with the latter making a landmark transfer to Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for subsequent season.
Evenepoel’s future was the topic of months of hypothesis, however for Stuyven, it was virtually clear that becoming a member of Soudal-QuickStep would imply becoming a member of as one of many new focal factors, with their former star set to depart.
“Actually: no. After what’s come out over the previous three years about his contract state of affairs, I by no means assumed Remco can be my teammate in 2026,” Stuyven instructed HLN, in an intensive interview about his departure from Lidl-Trek and function with the Belgian squad going ahead.
“I by no means knew Jurgen [Foré’s] present standing or imaginative and prescient relating to Remco, however I felt this yr was the time for Remco to depart, and that is how I approached it. I did not signal with Remco in thoughts, pondering it could be good or unhealthy.”
Having ridden as teammates for the Belgian nationwide squad a number of occasions, notably on the Paris Olympics final yr and World Championships in 2022 – two occasions Evenepoel received – Stuyven mentioned it turned clearer as they crossed paths in the summertime {that a} partnership at Soudal-QuickStep wasn’t incoming.
“He joked about it throughout an altitude coaching camp within the Sierra Nevada in Might, despite the fact that it wasn’t utterly finalized but. I did not reply to these jokes as a result of I already thought: We’ll see if we really turn out to be teammates,” mentioned Stuyven.
“I additionally heard from Remco on August third, one yr after his Olympic street race title. I had despatched him a message myself, as a result of it is a fond reminiscence for me too. Even then, his solutions made it clear that we would not be teammates.”
Stuyven’s arrival marks a change of course for Soudal-QuickStep, again to their former concentrate on the Classics and with sprinters at Grand Excursions. The previous Milan-San Remo winner will play a vital function in each, as co-leader within the former, and important lead-out within the latter – for Tim Merlier.
“Once I began racing, Fast-Step was the benchmark, and that remained the case for a very long time,” mentioned Stuyven, who had discussions with QuickStep and former boss Patrick Lefevere a number of occasions all through his 12 years at Trek.
On the cobbles of the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, Stuyven might be one of many Belgian squad’s management choices, alongside new signing Dylan van Baarle and rising younger star Paul Magnier.
“[CEO Foré] needed to strengthen the staff within the classics and supply a broad base to allow them to help me with good guys,” he mentioned. “Dylan van Baarle may even be becoming a member of, and Yves Lampaert is best off in a supporting function. I do not see myself as the only chief, however I might be serving to to steer the staff.”
After the spring, Stuyven will be part of Merlier’s lead-out prepare with Bert Van Lerberghe, a job he has carried out nicely in latest seasons for Jonathan Milan, figuring out he may even have freedom on hilly breakaway levels in the course of the Tour de France.
“I get pleasure from doing that. With Tim, you recognize you may have a great likelihood of profitable on the flat levels, and that the hilly levels supply alternatives to pursue my very own dream,” mentioned Stuyven.
“Jurgen [Foré] was comfortable that my ambitions had been trying past the spring. He is aware of I wish to win a Tour stage, and Remco’s departure frees up more room to pursue that.”
Stuyven’s final racing block with Lidl-Trek begins at this time on the Hamburg Cyclassics, and can proceed with the Renewi Tour, Bretagne Traditional, Tremendous 8 Traditional, Gooikse Pijl, Binche-Chimay-Binche and eventually, Paris-Excursions.
