“70 to 80 percent done” – Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe gathering momentum

The rumours surrounding Remco Evenepoel’s potential move from Soudal – Quick-Step to Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe have been circulating for years, often met with a mix of skepticism and fatigue from fans. But this time, the speculation has real substance, and increasing credibility. According to Daniel Benson, multiple sources close to the negotiations suggest the deal is nearing completion, with estimates putting it at 70 to 80 percent done. It would be a four-year contract, beginning in 2026, and reportedly includes a buyout clause from his current deal.

Officially, Soudal – Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Fore remains calm. Speaking to Vive le Velo following Evenepoel’s stage 5 victory at the Tour de France yesterday, Fore said, “He still has a contract until the end of 2026, and we assume he will honor it. So he'll definitely be riding with us for another year. But in the long run, we are working on a future with and without Remco."

That last line tells you all you need to know, Quick-Step is preparing for life after their star rider. And from Evenepoel’s perspective, the reasoning behind a move is increasingly difficult to dispute.

At just 25, Evenepoel is one of the most gifted all-rounders in the sport. He’s already won a Grand Tour, a World Championship, Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Olympic gold, and time trials at the highest level. But the gap between him and the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, especially in a Grand Tour context in the mountains, is clearly still significant.

His dominant win in the stage 5 time trial in Caen vaulted him to second overall at the Tour, but observers know how the script often unfolds in the third week: Pogacar and Vingegaard typically have the team strength and climbing depth to break the race apart, and Evenepoel is often left to fend for himself.

We saw it at the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this year. On the mountain stages, Evenepoel had no reliable lieutenants in the crucial moments. Meanwhile, Pogacar hads the likes of Adam Yates, and João Almeida, and Vingegaard could count on Sepp Kuss, Simon Yates, and Matteo Jorgenson.

Evenepoel, despite fighting hard, had to burn matches just to hold position, energy he could not afford to lose. The situation is worse in 2025, as Evenepoel is without the injured Mikel Landa for the Tour.

That difference in support is more than just tactical. It’s systemic. Quick-Step, for all its success as a Classics and on individual staes, has never truly transformed into a Grand Tour-focused team. Patrick Lefevere resisted a complete structural overhaul before his departure in 2024, and though some support has arrived in recent seasons, the depth just isn’t there to match the likes of UAE Team Emirates or Visma | Lease a Bike.

That’s where Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe comes in. Flush with new financial backing and aiming to build a Tour-winning operation around Primoz Roglic, who is turning 36 this year, they’re already looking toward the future. Evenepoel is that future. With Red Bull's resources, they could invest in the kind of mountain domestiques, support staff, and sports science infrastructure needed to close the gap to the top two teams.

If Evenepoel does move, it could be positive news for cycling as we move closer and closer to a true ‘Big Three.’ And, Quick-Step would be ok without Evenepoel, as they still have Tim Merlier who is arguably the fastest sprinter in the world in 2025.

For now, Evenepoel remains in Quick-Step colours, battling gamely in a Tour that still has two and a half weeks to run. But all signs suggest his long-term ambitions, and perhaps his loyalty, lie elsewhere.