"I have not been approached by them and I still have a contract for next year" - Wout Poels denies rumours of Soudal - Quick-Step move
Cycling
With the 2023 road cycling season having reached its end, rumour and innuendo are running rife regarding potential transfers. One such example of this is the growing talk of Wout Poels potentially becoming a lieutenant of Remco Evenepoel at Soudal - Quick-Step.
Speaking with his compatriot Dylan van Baarle on the AD podcast In Koers however, the 36-year-old who took stage wins at both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana this year denies any truth in these rumours. "I have not been approached by them," he insists. "And I still have a contract for next year."
For both van Baarle and Poels it seems like the Tour de France will play a big part in their calendars for 2024. "Those last stages are nice and look promising," Poels eyes, looking ahead towards the unique finale that features an individual time-trial in Nice on stage 21. "It can be one of the most beautiful Tours ever, but it is still the riders who make the race. Moreover, it of course depends on what the standings are like."
"I'm a fan of climbs on the final weekend anyway. Those last two stages are really tough," adds van Baarle. "I haven't talked about it with the team yet, that will probably happen in December but I want to repeat my planning from last year."
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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