Two separate news items provide a new episode about Remco Evenepoel and Ineos Grenadiers, a story that is now worthy of a soap opera. In the Spanish newspaper Marca came the news that Carlos Verona, despite previous reports about a switch to Ineos, will simply extend his contract with Movistar.
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The Norwegian cycling site Landevei released a similar message about Tobias Foss. He thought that a transfer from Jumbo-Visma to Ineos was done, but recently heard that the proposal is no longer on the table. Both publications mentioned Ineos’ interest in Evenepoel in the margins of those stories. The British team would create space – financially and in the rider base – to attract the world champion and possibly some teammates.
The entire transfer policy of Ineos, or rather the lack thereof, points in that direction. Many top riders leave the team after this season: Tao Geoghehan Hart goes to Lidl-Trek, Dani Martinez moves to Bora-Hansgrohe, Pavel Sivakov chooses UAE Emirates and Ben Tulett goes to Jumbo-Visma. Luke Plapp would also leave. There is nothing wrong with the input side. Ineos has not yet announced reinforcements and is not linked to big or even less big names.
This creates the perception of an ‘idle run’ at Ineos, especially since the contract extensions of riders such as Carlos Rodriguez, Geraint Thomas or Laurens De Plus have not yet been communicated. Officially, the British team has only fifteen riders under contract for next year. In reality, there are only five or six open places, but the question remains where the team expects to find Ineos-worthy replacements in mid-August.
Laurens De Plus: the contract extension at Ineos is not forthcoming. — © BELGA
A track that therefore resurfaces: a takeover of Soudal-Quick-Step. There are also still ‘only’ twenty riders for next year. A valued force like Tim Declercq, for example, has no new commitment yet. In the Tour, Ineos director Dave Brailsford denied at Radio Cycling that a takeover or merger was under discussion: “We’re not buying Quick-Step.”
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Yesterday there was a lot of texting back and forth in the peloton about a possible ‘merger’ between the two teams. Still, most observers see a lot of obstacles that stand in the way of a deal. Ineos and Soudal-Quick-Step are successful teams, with long-term sponsorship contracts and a clear ‘national’ identity.
They have two different bike manufacturers in Specialized and Pinarello, which are heavily involved and have deals with the top riders of the team. In June, however, the message came that the Italian Pinarello has been sold to a “private family”. It adds to the mystique surrounding the Evenepoel-Ineos saga, with many puzzle pieces that may or may not fit together.
Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere, meanwhile, gets a pointy head from all the insinuations and speculation. While traveling in Provence, he emphatically dismissed the story that team owner Zdenek Bakala would have sold his shares to Ineos CEO Jim Ratcliffe: “It is an insult to think such a thing. It only proves that you do not know the human Bakala.”
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Evenepoel and Lefevere: will they stay together? — © Wout Beel / Quick Step-Alphavinyl
