"I will miss him enormously" - Yves Lampaert gutted to see Tim Declerq depart Soudal - Quick-Step

Tim Declerq is set to join Lidl-Trek ready for the 2024 season, bringing an end to a seven-year spell at Soudal - Quick-Step. This news has incredibly saddened long-term teammate and roommate Yves Lampaert.

“I have been Tim's teammate since I was eighteen, as a first-year promise. It's a shame for myself, but I'm super happy for Tim that he was able to make a very nice transfer to Lidl-Trek," Lampaert tells Sporza, confirming the rumour of Declerq's departure, first reported by HLN. "They will be very happy there with such a servant.”

Although he admits he has been saddened by the news of Declerq's departure, Lampaert wasn't surprised to see his fellow Belgian leave. “Tim was very open to me about the options he had for next year. It quickly became clear that staying was not an option," says Lampaert. "He did not have to go to a lower level, such as Procontinental. He is making a nice move to Lidl-Trek, a team that is emerging. I am very happy for him.”

“It will hurt a lot for me, because I will now have to race against him," Lampaert concludes. "But especially for the moments in the room and so on, I will miss him enormously. Fortunately, we don't live very far from each other and hopefully we will train together a lot.”