"If Evenepoel leaves, the sponsors will take Lefevere to court" - Johan Bruyneel weighs in on Evenepoel and Quick-Step controversy

With Alberto Contador sparking once again the rumour that Remco Evenepoel may move to INEOS Grenadiers, Patrick Lefevere quickly responded, dismissing it once again. However the impact of those statements saw others comment, Johan Bruyneel has given his opinion on what is one of the biggest stories of this transfer season.

“I find it unacceptable that Remco's representative who signed a four-year contract two years ago is now commenting everywhere that the team is not good enough," Bruyneel said on 'The Move' podcast. "If you sign for such a long period, you need to know what you have signed for and under what conditions. Don't say after two years that you can get more money or put the rider in a better environment.”

Remco Evenepoel has signed with Soudal - Quick-Step until 2026 and carries a long contract which, if it were to be broken, would imply huge financial values, either as a purchase or a possbiel lawsuit. Patrick Evenepoel, Remco's father and agent, and Quick-Step manager Patrick Lefevere have publically stated differed opinions on Evenepoel's remainder in the team even if he's inked in the long-term.

“I think father Evenepoel has only one intention, which is to keep that uncertainty alive. Parties with a lot of money in cycling therefore see opportunities to perhaps still incorporate him... Remco has a contract of two million euros per year, while he received 1.9 million euros in bonuses last year. That means that in 2022 he will have earned almost 4 million euros. That's not too bad for a 23-year-old cyclist," Bruyneel argues. 

Alongside the possible financial aspect however comes the team support. Whilst the Belgian outfit is putting in the effort to reinforce itself, even in the best case scenario it would lack far behind UAE Team Emirates and Jumbo-Visma. This will be meaningful for the now time-trial World Champion who is making his Tour de France debut next year.

“Father Evenepoel is not an agent in everyday life. He probably could have signed a much better contract with Lefevere at the time with better terms. That's probably his frustration," the former pro and team manager said. "I would have suggested a contract where you have a base salary with the bonuses from the previous year added up. Then he would have had a basic salary of 3.9 million euros this year.”

For Lefevere, a transfer cannot happen - at least through his public statements. He has threatened a lawsuit if the contract was to be broken, whilst Remco has asked for this public spat to end. “Suppose that Lefevere can sell Evenepoel to another team for ten million euros. That will not happen. Lefevere has signed the sponsorship contracts with Soudal and, among others, Quick-Step for the coming years because Evenepoel would have been associated with the team all those years. They have geared their marketing strategies to this.”

“If Evenepoel leaves, the sponsors will take Lefevere to court," Bruyneel believes. "A lot will have to happen before Evenepoel can leave Lefevere's team. But honestly, I don't see that happening. In addition, I am still convinced that the relationship between Remco and Lefevere. the team is still very good. The relationship between his agent, which in this case is his father, is just very bad. However, this is also at the expense of Remco's relations."

He thinks there is one clear solution for this rough situation which involves Patrick Evenepoel stepping aside from his task: "Perhaps the time has come for Remco to say goodbye to his father as an agent. You only need one statement from Remco. He must say that he is having a good time with his team and that he has an agreement until 2026. That he serves out this contract and does not go to another team. The fact that Remco has not said this out loud so far indicates to me that there is a desire for some unrest. Perhaps that happens under the influence of his father.”