"10 million per year plus three acolytes including team manager Klaas Lodewyck" - Belgian expert reveals inside information on Red Bull's contract offer to Remco Evenepoel

Earlier this year, there were intense rumours that Remco Evenepoel could depart Soudal - Quick-Step in a peloton shaking transfer to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Although that ultimately hasn't come to pass, according to Belgian cycling expert Michel Wuyts, the contract was on the table for the time trial world champion.

"After the wild dance of the richest teams around his person, Evenepoel's will becomes law at the somewhat impoverished Soudal - Quick-Step," writes the experienced Wuyts in his column for HLN, revealing the details of what was offered to Evenepoel by Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. "The contract was indeed ready for Evenepoel. Ten million per year plus three acolytes including team manager Lodewyck, according to a high-ranking and valued member of the Quick-Step camp."

Understandably, this offer didn't go down too well with some at Soudal - Quick-Step, most notably the always outspoke team boss Patrick Lefevere. "Lefevere set up obstacles for the transfer of the sidekicks and glued Evenepoel on for the duration of his contract," Wuyts explains. "Not only with sweet words and the recruitment of performance manager Frederik Broché. He partly closed the financial gap with the decisive input of COO Jurgen Foré."

As mentioned, Evenepoel is now set to remain Quick-Step leader in 2025 and has been gifted a nice pay rise too, although it's still notably short of the 10million offer from Red Bull, with according to Wuyts, 5million per year in the Belgian's new deal. "That seems a lot, but justified given Evenepoel's second place in the UCI ranking. The amount provides a sufficient basis to tackle the Tour project ambitiously and harmoniously. Two more years, right?" The expert continues. "Would a transfer to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe have brought Evenepoel closer to the yellow jersey? The Germans' reinforcements are called Tratnik, Lazkano and Moscon, who is appreciated by Evenepoel. Pacemakers, controllers. No high-lift trucks. And what do you do with Roglic? So the answer leans towards 'no'."