Evenepoel's departure was obvious for Jasper Stuyven: "His answers made it clear that we wouldn't be teammates"

Soudal - Quick-Step is rebuilding itself as a team which prioritizes the cobbled classics and sprints, quickly moving away from the departing Remco Evenepoel with quality signings such as Alberto Dainese, Dylan van Baarle and Jasper Stuyven. The latter has talked about the matter and reveals that even though he had already been set to join the team for months, he was quite certain that Evenepoel was simultaneously leaving the team long before it was announced.

"Honestly: no. After what's come out over the past three years about his contract situation, I never assumed Remco would be my teammate in 2026. I never knew Jurgen (Foré, team CEO, ed.) current status or vision regarding Remco, but I felt this year was the time for Remco to leave, and that's how I approached it," Stuyven said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws. "I didn't sign with Remco in mind, thinking it would be good or bad."

In hindsight, Evenepoel's departure may have been the trigger for the team to early on focus it's resources on riders such as the veteran, a former Milano-Sanremo winner but strong performer on the cobbled monuments, Tour de France and World Championships. Despite being 33 years of age, he remains highly competitive and finished fifth this year at the Tour of Flanders together with Mads Pedersen, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Alongside van Baarle and Edward Planckaert, the new batch of specialists will form the new block of leaders for these races.

"I also heard from Remco on August 3rd, one year after his Olympic road race title. I had sent him a message myself, because it's a fond memory for me too. Even then, his answers made it clear that we wouldn't be teammates," he adds, hinting that a transfer may have been in the Olympic Champion's mind for a long time. Now it has been confirmed, with him leaving towards Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Stuyven in the meantime signed a three-year deal.

"When I started racing, Quick-Step was the benchmark, and that remained the case for a long time [...] "Dylan van Baarle will also be joining, and Yves Lampaert is better off in a supporting role. I don't see myself as the sole leader, but I will be helping to lead the team."

Besides having his own chances in the classics however, he may also play a crucial support role for Tim Merlier as a leadout man, after having proven himself as one of the world's best alongside Jonathan Milan. "I enjoy doing that. With Tim, you know you have a good chance of winning on the flat stages, and that the hilly stages offer opportunities to pursue my own dream. Jurgen was happy that my ambitions were looking beyond the spring," Stuyven concluded. "He knows I want to win a Tour stage, and Remco's departure frees up more space to pursue that."