Patrick Lefevere is to step down as Soudal Fast-Step’s staff boss, bringing to an finish a profitable, and but typically controversial period on the Belgian squad.
The 69-year-old, a former skilled bicycle owner, based the squad which turned Soudal Fast-Step in 2003, when it was Quickstep-Davitamon. It has been by many iterations, together with Omega Pharma-Fast Step, Etixx-Fast Step and Deceuninck-Fast Step over time. He will likely be changed by Jurgen Foré, who joined the staff early final 12 months as COO, as of 1 January 2025.
Throughout Lefevere’s time on the helm, the staff received 22 Monuments, together with eight editions of the Tour of Flanders, which gave it a repute as the lads to beat within the Classics. He additionally oversaw a transition right into a GC staff, led by their star rider, Remco Evenepoel, who claimed the Fast-Step’s first Grand Tour victory, the 2022 Vuelta a España. In addition they received 124 Grand Tour levels.
Nevertheless, Lefevere has additionally been a controversial determine, publicly criticising his riders at instances, together with Sam Bennett, Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen, in typically vibrant language.
Earlier this 12 months, Lefevere apologised for making derogatory remarks about ladies, after being threatened with a hefty advantageous by the UCI if he didn’t accomplish that.
He was informed by the UCI that until he issued the apology for “public feedback thought of as disparaging in direction of ladies”, he would pay a advantageous of 20,000 Swiss francs (£17,500 / $21,900).
“It’s a life altering second to go away a task that I’ve dedicated a lot of my life to,” Lefevere mentioned within the staff’s assertion on Tuesday. “Biking is a sport that I’m nonetheless deeply enthusiastic about, and it has been an incredible honour to go up this lovely staff and make so many particular recollections.
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“However I felt that it was the best second for this modification. After I began to work with Jurgen one 12 months in the past, it was with a view to smoothing out the transition for after I would ultimately depart. I’ve seen how his relationships with our sponsors and companions, in addition to the staff’s inside stakeholders has grown during the last 12 months, and I do know that with Jurgen taking up as CEO and with the board’s backing, that this staff has a vivid future.
:There are numerous those who I must thank, far too many to say individually, however there are in fact my household, the staff’s gifted riders, our devoted workers, our loyal sponsors, all of which is backed by the generosity and help of our staff proprietor Zdenek Bakala.”
Bakala himself mentioned: “Patrick has typically spoken of the onerous work of his workers and the riders, however that’s fostered by the determine head on the prime and we must always not underestimate the way in which Patrick has constructed a tradition that enables these riders and workers to thrive.
“Nevertheless, we all know that sooner or later all issues change and we really feel that that is the best time to make these structural modifications to our staff’s administration, which have been made with the settlement of all events. With this transition I show my dedication to the long-term way forward for the staff and guaranteeing a vivid future for Soudal Fast-Step.”
Foré, who based on the staff has had a protracted profession in enterprise, together with as a associate at Deloitte, mentioned: “I’ll now look to steer this staff, working in direction of securing its long-term future. I’ve been concerned in biking in a number of roles and as a part of the staff’s administration and I’m assured that by combining this with my expertise in enterprise, it’s going to permit me to construct a construction that may take Soudal Fast-Step from energy to energy.”