Lefevere expresses gratitude to generous donor Bakala after merger story with Visma: "Who does something like that?"

In preparation for the 2024 cycling season, Soudal Quick-Step had its media day on Tuesday - and one man in particular was in the spotlight. Well, two men, actually. Remco Evenepoel, of course, but also team manager Patrick Lefevere. In a most authentic manner, the Belgian had a chat with each rider on the team and took ample time afterwards to speak with the press, including IDLProCycling.com.

Whether it was Warre Vangheluwe, Kasper Asgreen, Remco Evenepoe or Ayco Bastiaens - each of them received a minute of the flamboyant Belgian team manager's full attention. Naturally, he began the presentation with a general message, directed at his riders in the front row. "We're entering 2024 after an incredibly strong year for the team. In 2023, we won from start to finish and experienced many great moments as a team. Now, our focus is on the upcoming season, where we want to be competitive at the top again. We have a solid team with riders who can achieve results in all types of terrain."

Lefevere: "Combining the Tour and Classics is possible"

"We're starting the upcoming season with good morale and hope to start winning quickly once again. In addition, we're investing in new people, both in terms of riders and staff, with COO Jurgen Foré being one of those individuals," said Lefevere, who described their approach in a unique way. "When recruiting young riders, we do things our own way. We don't promise them the world with slick PowerPoint presentations like the Dutch do. We do it our own way, by creating a bond."

The merger issues did not leave him untouched. "We've all turned that page, or at least I have. Now we're facing a new season where we want to win again. We do so through our (redefined, ed.) identity of The Wolfpack. Not by having a Mathieu van der Poel or the like, but through the strength of the team. Our team."

Zdenek Bakala is once again providing the necessary financial resources. The Czech, a longtime benefactor of the team, has contributed to the bottom line once more. "He's paying the bank guarantee of 7.5 million euros again, money that is held by the UCI. Who does something like that? You only come across someone like him once. And he is also guaranteeing the arrival of Mikel Landa, so I can send him that bill as well. He has been there for us from the very beginning."

And that may well last a few more years. "In 2025, I'm locked in with Bakala, Soudal, Quick-Step and Specialized. If anyone wants to exit the partnership, they can do so by the end of 2026. This gives our team the time to explore other options," Lefevere explained. In other words, a saga like the one last autumn is not likely to happen in the short term, and the 69-year-old Lefevere doesn't seem to want to go through that again, judging by his expression.

In the sky bar of the Suitopia Hotel in Calpe, Lefevere mentioned that it is a significant shift that his team is making. "It's the most challenging step we've taken as a team, but I still believe that a combination is possible for a team like ours: the classics and the Tour." Team leader Remco Evenepoel is notably focusing on the Tour de France. Lefevere acknowledged, "We also shouldn't ignore the fact that a portion of our budget has gone to the Tour team."

Although he celebrated his 69th birthday last Saturday, Lefevere's energy was still evident. How does he manage to maintain it? "I don't have to fulfill my ambitions. It's the riders who have to fulfill the team's ambitions. I know many good restaurants, I know many good countries... and I keep getting more and more blonde," Lefevere quipped with a smile, pointing to his gray hair.

Lefevere confident heading into Flemish races

The goals in the Tour de France are clear, but what about the Flemish classics, which were originally the team's hunting ground under Lefevere's leadership? Lefevere had an agreement with Alaphilippe that this season, he could focus on the Flemish races and also the Giro d'Italia, while there are still riders left in the team who naturally fit the DNA of the classics.

"With Kasper Asgreen and Julian Alaphilippe, we have two key riders. Yves Lampaert may not win a classic easily, but he will certainly have an impact on those guys in the race. He has been influential in the past, like in the E3 Saxo Classic that Kasper won. And we shouldn't forget that in the 2020 Tour of Flanders, when Julian was on that motorcycle, he initiated the action. He provoked it. They weren't done with him yet," he recalled.

"The fact that Tadej Pogacar is not riding the Tour of Flanders is a disadvantage for us," said Lefevere, which caused some journalists in attendance to furrow their brows. Why is that, Patrick? "He's a rider who races openly, and that makes for attractive cycling. We need riders like that, guys who don't calculate. He attacks when he thinks he should. That's how he and Mathieu do it. Mathieu, in my opinion, is the best cyclist in the world, just look at the World Championships. Riding alongside such riders in the spring will undoubtedly be a pleasure once again."

Okay, we understand that, but why can this be an advantage for Soudal Quick-Step, a team that relies on its strength as a team? "Sometimes two dogs fight over one bone, and the third one takes it. Teams arm themselves, and winning teams are always imitated. Just look at Jumbo-Visma. I was the man Richard Plugge looked up to, but the student has now become better than the master," he concluded with a compliment towards the man who dominated the cycling news alongside him in the autumn months.