"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
Cycling
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'."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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🚨 FLASH | Remco Evenepoel sert le thé eh donnez nous des courses je vais péter un câble y'a plus rien à se mettre sous la dent
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