Remco Evenepoel is to depart Soudal Fast-Step after mutual settlement, breaking his contract early, and can be a part of Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe for 2026.
The transfer, introduced by Soudal Fast-Step on Tuesday afternoon, comes after weeks of hypothesis concerning the 25-year-old’s future, which dogged him all through the current Tour de France.
A brief press launch from Fast-Step confirmed that Evenepoel’s contract will likely be terminated, bringing an finish to their relationship of greater than six years. Evenepoel turned skilled with the workforce, previously managed by Patrick Lefevere, in 2019.
Minutes later, a press launch from Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe confirmed the arrival of the double Olympic champion.
“Representatives of Remco knowledgeable the workforce’s administration that he didn’t want to talk about an extension of his present settlement, which expires on the finish of 2026,” the assertion from Fast-Step learn.
“After taking a while to seek the advice of with our sponsors and companions, the workforce’s possession and administration have determined that it’s in finest curiosity of everybody to agree that Remco can transfer on the finish of the present 2025 season,” it continued.
“Since its inception in 2003, our workforce has seen many iterations and modifications, whereas persevering with to grow to be one of the profitable groups within the historical past {of professional} biking and lately grew to become the primary skilled biking workforce to achieve 1000 UCI wins.
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“Whereas we remorse Remco’s determination to depart, we’ll foster the recollections that we’ve got made and can proceed to attempt collectively to attain some important outcomes for the remainder of the season.”
“Remco stands for ambition. He doesn’t simply need to experience – he desires to form biking,” Ralph Denk, Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe CEO mentioned. “He brings not solely distinctive athletic expertise, but additionally a outstanding mindset. His willpower, professionalism, and relentless drive to succeed are actually inspiring.”
The Crimson Bull assertion says: “Remco Evenepoel’s arrival marks greater than only a milestone for Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe – it’s a clear sign. With renewed confidence and daring ambition, the workforce is setting its course to grow to be one of the engaging forces on the worldwide biking stage within the years to return.
In addition to profitable the Vuelta a España whereas driving for Fast-Step, Evenepoel received a number of different main races within the blue and white of the Belgian workforce; together with two editions of Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
On the Tour de France, Soudal Fast-Step’s CEO Jurgen Foré mentioned that he would talk about Evenepoel’s future as soon as the race was over, whereas Evenepoel performed down reviews of a transfer imminently taking place.
Within the construct as much as his exit, Evenepoel endured a tough ending to his last race with Fast-Step, abandoning the Tour halfway by way of stage 14 within the Pyrenees on the street to Superbagnères. Tom Steels, the workforce’s lead sports activities director on the race, mentioned on the time that the 25-year-old had withdrawn with the intention to defend his objectives later within the season.
Evenepoel received the stage 5 time trial round Caen, however appeared out of kinds when the race hit the excessive mountains.
After abandoning the race, he revealed in a social media put up that he had rushed to be slot in time for the Tour, and that he had raced with a damaged rib.
A transfer to Crimson Bull regarded prone to be confirmed quickly when the German workforce, introduced final week that their head sports activities director, Rolf Aldag, had departed the challenge. The previous Belgian nationwide workforce coach, Sven Vanthourenhout, then advised Sporza that he can be becoming a member of Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.
Sources have advised Biking Weekly that Fast-Step DS Klaas Lodewyck will even make the transfer with Evenepoel and advised that Aldag was requested to depart to make means for Evenepoel’s entourage.
Any switch would wish to have been ratified by Soudal Fast-Step, Crimson Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, and Evenepoel himself, with approval from the UCI additionally requested as a part of the method. Because of the contract being damaged early early, reviews have additionally advised that the Belgian might want to pay his former workforce €5 million in compensation, with Crimson Bull including €2 million.
Little is understood about Evenepoel’s racing schedule in the direction of the tip of the season, though he’s anticipated to return to competitors and lead Belgium on the street World Championships in Rwanda in September.