It’s now official. After several weeks of discussions, the merger project between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step fell through. The end of this file also closes the future of Julian Alaphilippe. While the merger would have condemned his place within the Belgian team, the former double world champion will be able to continue the adventure as he wished.
There will ultimately be no merger between Jumbo Visma et Soudal Quick-Step. This immense project threatened the future of several members of the staff of both teams, but also of certain riders like Julian Alaphilippe. Losing momentum over the last two years but still determined to maintain an important status that he could not have claimed in this new team, the Frenchman now sees more clearly about his future which will be written, at least for 2024, with his current team.
The Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step merger will not happen
In a letter made public by the media last Saturday, the Jumbo Visma announced that the merger with the Soudal Quick-Step will not see the light of day for the 2024 season. We want to be ready to face the future organizationally, financially and sportingly after the era of Jumbo as main sponsor. In this process, we concluded that a merger with Soudal-Quick Step was not the best option. We will see later which is the best option », Writes the Dutch team. News that is necessarily relieving Julian Alaphilippefor whom the future was very uncertain.
Cycling – Tour: The other great innovation of the 2024 route… https://t.co/RlaAHnZMLh pic.twitter.com/vRw6htNv6O
— le10sport (@le10sport) October 13, 2023
“It’s a bit annoying”
The Frenchman expressed his concern on October 2. “ We don’t know much, it’s a bit complicated in everyone’s head. We hope that the situation will resolve and that we will have news. It’s a bit boring. It’s sad, above all. Soudal-QuickStep is a team that has been at the heart of cycling for many years, with a story behind it. I find it sad, we’re not there yet, we’re not going to cry. We are waiting for good news, we are all hoping. » Now that the verdict is in, Julian Alaphilippe will be able to calmly prepare for 2024 where he will defend the colors of the Soudal Quick-Stepas he announced during the Tour de Francedespite the multiple calls from the foot of Total-Energies.
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