Patrick Lefevere is to step down as Soudal Fast-Step’s workforce boss, bringing to an finish a profitable, and but typically controversial period on the Belgian squad.
The 69-year-old, a former skilled bike owner, based the squad which turned Soudal Fast-Step in 2003, when it was Quickstep-Davitamon. It has been via many iterations, together with Omega Pharma-Fast Step, Etixx-Fast Step and Deceuninck-Fast Step through the years. He might be changed by Jurgen Foré, who joined the workforce early final yr as COO, as of 1 January 2025.
Throughout Lefevere’s time on the helm, the workforce gained 22 Monuments, together with eight editions of the Tour of Flanders, which gave it a popularity as the lads to beat within the Classics. He additionally oversaw a transition right into a GC workforce, 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 gained 124 Grand Tour levels.
Nevertheless, Lefevere has additionally been a controversial determine, publicly criticising his riders at occasions, together with Sam Bennett, Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen, in typically vibrant language.
Earlier this yr, Lefevere apologised for making derogatory remarks about girls, after being threatened with a hefty effective 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-about as disparaging in the direction of girls”, he would pay a effective of 20,000 Swiss francs (£17,500 / $21,900).
“It’s a life altering second to go away a job that I’ve dedicated a lot of my life to,” Lefevere stated within the workforce’s assertion on Tuesday. “Biking is a sport that I’m nonetheless deeply captivated with, and it has been an ideal honour to go up this lovely workforce and make so many particular reminiscences.
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“However I felt that it was the precise second for this modification. Once I began to work with Jurgen one yr 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 workforce’s inner stakeholders has grown over the past 12 months, and I do know that with Jurgen taking on as CEO and with the board’s backing, that this workforce has a vibrant future.
:There are numerous folks that I must thank, far too many to say individually, however there are after all my household, the workforce’s gifted riders, our devoted employees, our loyal sponsors, all of which is backed by the generosity and assist of our workforce proprietor Zdenek Bakala.”
Bakala himself stated: “Patrick has typically spoken of the onerous work of his employees and the riders, however that’s fostered by the determine head on the high and we should always not underestimate the way in which Patrick has constructed a tradition that enables these riders and employees to thrive.
“Nevertheless, we all know that sooner or later all issues change and we really feel that that is the precise time to make these structural adjustments to our workforce’s administration, which have been made with the settlement of all events. With this transition I display my dedication to the long-term way forward for the workforce and guaranteeing a vibrant future for Soudal Fast-Step.”
Foré, who in accordance with the workforce has had an extended profession in enterprise, together with as a associate at Deloitte, stated: “I’ll now look to steer this workforce, working in the direction of securing its long-term future. I’ve been concerned in biking in a number of roles and as a part of the workforce’s administration and I’m assured that by combining this with my expertise in enterprise, it would enable me to construct a construction that may take Soudal Fast-Step from energy to energy.”
