Soudal Quick-Step faces a potential roster violation for the 2027 season as the team’s planned squad size reaches 31 riders, exceeding the Union Cycliste Internationale limit of 30. The roster complication emerged following the acquisition of British rider Ben Turner, according to reporting from Wielernieuws.
Roster Overcrowding Threatens UCI Sanctions
The Wolfpack, scheduled to compete under the name Soudal-Safety Jogger next season, currently sits one rider above the regulatory cap established by cycling’s governing body. Under UCI regulations, professional cycling teams are strictly limited to a maximum of 30 registered riders in their primary squad.
Wielernieuws reported that the team may have overlooked existing commitments to young prospects when finalizing incoming transfers. Cériel Desal, who joined the organization last year, received assurances regarding a promotion to the professional team after one season. Additional development riders Viktor Soenens, Jasper Schoofs, and Federico Savino are also slated to make the jump to the professional ranks.
Wielernieuws noted that the UCI is actively monitoring the situation. Should the team fail to reduce its numbers, Soudal Quick-Step faces potential disciplinary sanctions from the governing body.
Management Disagrees Over Administrative Oversight
Team leadership offers conflicting assessments regarding the squad’s mathematical totals. Chief Executive Officer Jurgen Foré rejected claims of an oversight, insisting that management handled the administrative planning correctly.
“Neen, we zitten niet overvol,” Foré stated, according to Wielernieuws. “De situatie met onze twee teams is onder controle. Onze aantallen zitten juist. We hebben niet verkeerd geteld en we hebben onze wiskunde goed gedaan.” (No, we are not overfilled. The situation with our two teams is under control. Our numbers are correct. We haven’t miscounted and we’ve done our math right.)
Former manager Patrick Lefevere publicly disputed that assessment, pointing to potential miscalculations in the early roster planning. Lefevere suggested that management established commitments too early in the contracting cycle.
“‘t Is een fout die Jurgen zich mag aanrekenen,” Lefevere said, as reported by Wielernieuws. “Ik zal niet beweren dat het mij in al die jaren nooit een keer is overkomen, maar als CEO mag je jezelf nooit zo vroeg vastzetten. Ergens moet Jurgen nu een bijkomende plaats creëren.” (It is a mistake Jurgen can blame himself for. I won’t claim it never happened to me in all those years, but as CEO you should never box yourself in so early. Somewhere Jurgen now has to create an additional spot.)
Contractual Obligations Complicate Roster Reductions
Resolving the excess rider count presents significant logistical hurdles for team administration. According to Lefevere, simply retaining riders in the development setup or canceling planned promotions is constrained by modern player representation agreements.
“Je zou zeggen: promoveer er dan één minder, maar zo simpel is dat niet,” Lefevere explained to Wielernieuws. “Rennersmakelaars laten de termijn van de overstap naar de profploeg tegenwoordig contractueel vastleggen.” (You would say: then promote one fewer, but it’s not that simple. Rider agents nowadays have the deadline for the transition to the professional team laid down contractually.)
With newly signed additions guaranteed their places in the primary squad, management must find a solution to trim at least one rider from the projected 31-man roster to achieve compliance before the UCI enforces regulatory penalties.
Worth a look
