Patrick Lefevere on those Evenepoel rumours, Moscon leaving and Lamperti's contract
Catching up with the Soudal Quick-Step boss (and the latest on Pidcock)
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This is only a short story, made up from a brief call I had with Patrick Lefevere last week. And as it’s quite short, it’s free.
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Patrick Lefevere on Evenepoel rumours, Moscon leaving and Lamperti's contract
Soudal Quick-Step finalised their 2025 roster this week and it was interesting to note that Gianni Moscon was not part of the 30-rider squad. The final place went to Astana’s Gianmarco Garofoli, who joined on a one-year deal. Moscon looked on course for a contract extension after the Tour de France and Lefevere and his management colleagues even offered the Italian a deal for the future.
However, according to the Belgian, Moscon dragged his heels on agreeing terms and in the end, Soudal Quick-Step began looking at alternatives. Part of the reluctance from Moscon’s side was down to the rumours surrounding Remco Evenepoel’s future. Evenepoel had been heavily linked with a transfer to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe but when that situation collapsed, and the Belgian publicly pledged his future to Lefevere’s team, Moscon’s time on the team looked over.
The Italian has been linked with a move to Red Bull but we’re still awaiting confirmation on that news.
“No Moscon anymore. The Tour was okay for him but he didn’t want to sign and then with all these rumours around Remco he wanted to wait and in the end, there was no place for him. I think he thought Remco was going. That’s Moscon’s decision, he’s not a baby. Sometimes things happen,” Lefevere told us.
While Moscon is leaving, one rider who Lefevere wants to extend with is Luke Lamperti. The 21-year-old American had a hugely impressive debut season at the WorldTour level but has one season remaining on his existing deal. No doubt teams will be looking at the rider next spring in a bid to lure him away, and Lefevere confirmed that contract talks have already started between the rider’s representatives and the team’s COO, Jürgen Foré.
“We are talking with him. Jürgen spoke with him last week and he’ll come to the team meeting and we’ll speak about it again,” Lefevere said.
Overall, Lefevere is content with his team’s season. They fell short in the Spring Classics but scored 34 wins, with a few races remaining before the curtain comes down on the 2024 campaign.
Evenepoel finished third on his Tour de France debut, won a stage, became a double Olympic champion in Paris, and won the world time trial championships. Tim Merlier won consistently throughout the season and Lefevere is already looking forward to next year’s campaign.
“We are quite happy with the season. We had two people with outstanding years, with Tim taking 16 wins and then Remco at the Tour and the Olympics. Some teams can complain more than others about their seasons. Next year we want everyone on the team to be healthy and then someone like Max Schachmann is coming to the team. He’s not had a brilliant period but I think that after a good winter and a good recovery, he can return to the level he had when he was with us last time. We’re expecting a lot from riders like Paul Magnier and Luke Lamperti,” Lefevere said.
For the next few months, Lefevere can put the Evenepoel transfer rumours to bed. No doubt they’ll return next spring, but in the meantime, the Belgian team boss can relax.
“I told you already that we didn’t start the rumours. It was you guys in the press. We could only say it was not true but no one believed us but in the end, you saw what happened,” he said.
“I’m too old to be worried. I’ve had so many stories in my life and there were no contracts in my office. You need three parties to agree: the teams and the rider and that wasn’t the case.”
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Been trying to understand the contract situation with Pidcock/Ineos. Is there a reason why they have to come to an agreement whereby Ineos continues paying part of the salary so that he’s still on the same money as his existing contract at the new team? Could they cancel the existing contract if all parties agreed so that he can then negotiate with a new team and a clean slate?