New twist in Van Gils saga: "Astana out, Red Bull in pole position, INEOS makes final attempt"

In an earlier post, we already summarized an overview of the developments. Van Gils said he wanted to leave, but in consultation with his team. The team, in turn, was shocked by the request of the 25-year-old classics specialist. The team and rider did reconcile and wanted to part ways, and in the meantime, Astana Qazastan would provide the best deal. That's how things were until Thursday morning. Now, there is a new twist.

Look below the photo.

Lotto Dstny and Van Gils supposedly have reached an agreement; the rider can leave. The Belgian team will receive the contract termination fee, which will provide them with a nice bonus, regardless of the sportive loss. But who will pay the fee and take over Van Gils? According to the Belgian outlet, it would be Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, and the team has already strengthened tremendously for the classics in the spring.

According to the outlet, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe would be Van Gils's preferred choice. For that reason, not Astana but the German team is now the best candidate to obtain the climber's services. But now another team is on the horizon, namely INEOS Grenadiers. Whether these new developments will have any impact on the outcome, we will surely know soon. After all, 2025 is approaching, and this saga will have to be resolved by then.