Remco Evenepoel transfer still in the works, Tom Pidcock likely to stay at Ineos
Sources indicate that the Belgian rider has been given a deadline by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe as the team continues to court the double Olympic champion
We have learned from several sources that a possible transfer involving Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is being worked on and that the Belgian star has been given a deadline at which point he must decide on his long-term future. One source has told us that the deadline could be as close as the end of the week.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have been chasing Evenepoel for over a year, and despite signing Primož Roglič at the start of the season - and a host of other riders this summer - the team are keen to build on their position and solidify a future around the Belgian rider.
The obvious sticking point is that Evenepoel has a contract with Soudal Quick-Step until the end of 2026 and the Soudal management has sacrificed several riders and goals in the last few seasons in order to provide the 24-year-old with the best support possible.
That hasn’t stopped several suitors from coming forward. In 2022 Ineos Grenadiers tried to sign the Belgian and they’ve been linked to him for the last two seasons.
However, since Red Bull’s arrival on the scene in the summer the German squad has ramped up their interest in picking up another marque rider. He’s already sponsored by the brand, and there’s the close connection he has with Specialized, who supply both Soudal Quick-Step and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe with WorldTour bikes.
In July, Evenepoel’s father, who acts as the rider’s agent, confirmed that several teams had shown interest in his son but he played down the speculation as the rider focussed on the Tour de France.
“We want to keep it calm. Remco has been focused on the Tour for five or six months. I know all the rumours from the Tour. I was there, and I hear this and I hear everything, but I just want Remco to stay calm and all the rumours can’t work on him. There is a contract with Soudal Quick-Step for three years. I can’t say more. And he’s happy. He’s happy with his team and his friends. That’s the most important. He is where he wants to be,” he told us.
The idea that a deadline has been put in place for Evenepoel indicates that a move is much closer than at any point so far, as it suggests that while there could be some sticking points, several areas of the deal are potentially structured and approved. The German team are notorious for not commenting on transfer speculation.
However, such sticking point that we’ve heard about from one source surrounds the number of support staff that Evenepoel could possibly take to the team if the move happens. That’s unlikely to involve riders but could include a mechanic and a soigneur. We’ve since reached out to Evenepoel senior for comment but he has not been contactable.
Soudal Quick-Step team boss Patrick Lefevere has been relatively quiet on the subject in recent weeks but at the end of the Tour de France, just as Evenepoel rode to third overall in Nice, Lefevere admitted, perhaps for the first time, that a rider like Evenepoel could leave for the right price.
"But we have a contract until the end of 2026. If someone wants to leave, there's a price tag attached. We wouldn't like that, but okay. That contracts are there to be broken? Yes, especially if you have a good lawyer,” he told HLN.
From a Soudal Quick-Step point of view such a transfer still seems somewhat unfathomable at this point, unless there has been a breach of contract, and we’re not aware of one.
Evenepoel is the heartbeat of the team and the squad’s destiny is intrinsically tied to the rider’s fortune. Evenepoel gets what he wants at Soudal and the team has already seen Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen depart over the summer. Losing Evenepoel would be a much more significant blow, and while the team have stocked up on young talent, they would lack a focal point for the Ardennes and the Tours if he left.
That said, Lefevere is right, contracts can be broken. All deals of this nature have buyout clauses and right now it looks like Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are pushing this all the way.
As for Tom Pidcock, it now looks unlikely that the British rider will leave Ineos Grendaries at the end of the season.
The Olympic mountain bike champion has a deal with Ineos until the end of 2027 and despite murmurs and interest from other teams, the 25-year-old appears locked in for at least another season.
Pidcock remains the franchise rider on the team, and won Amstel Gold earlier this year. He’s set to return to the road in the coming weeks before ramping up his prep for the Worlds. With his second Olympic gold now achieved it’s likely that he will focus more on the Tour de France over the next few years.
I’m Daniel Benson and I’m the former Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews, GCN, and VeloNews. I’ve recently set up a Substack with the aim of delivering you regular news, interviews, rider transfers and race analysis. To subscribe to my Substack please drop your email in the box below, and to find out more about what I’m doing please click here.