"I don't understand the fuss at all" - Jan Bakelants sees Remco Evenepoel's transfer as "something normal"

The early departure of Remco Evenepoel from Soudal - Quick-Step was always going to become a number one topic of conversations for the next period. However some of the commentary out there has crossed the line, ex-professional Jan Bakelants points out. The Belgian with nearly 15 years worth of experience at the highest level has now switched into the role of a commentator/analyst. According to him, there is somewhat unnecessary drama going on in the media despite the process seemingly relatively peaceful.

"I've read a lot of nonsense about that recently," Bakelants begins his argument during VRT broadcast. "An article in De Standaard talked about a revolutionary transfer for Remco Evenepoel, with a tripartite agreement that was devilish."

From the side of Soudal - Quick-Step's fans (mainly) there was also criticism of Evenepoel's decision to leave before the end of his contract in 2026. "While I thought: isn't this as old as the hills?"  

Bakelants believes there shouldn't be such a fuss. "If a solution can be found, it's simply a termination of a fixed-term contract. There's nothing special about that, is there? I don't understand the fuss at all." He believes the arrangement between Soudal - Quick-Step and Evenepoel/Red Bull is perfectly normal.

In other sports, we see this happen much more often than in cycling. "It's unusual for riders to leave before the end of their contracts, but if you or a third party is willing to pay and handle this properly, then everyone should be able to come and go as they please. That's often better for everyone."

Ultimately, if all three sides were able to agree on conditions that fit their agenda, there's not really much more to analyze now. "If everyone is happy, there are only winners," he says. We will now have to wait and see how this transfer pans out