"Jumbo-Visma is going with a mastodon of a team" - Patrick Lefevere reacts to Jonas Vingegaard's Vuelta a Espana announcement

Jonas Vingegaard has announced that he will ride the Vuelta a Espana alongside Primoz Roglic and that puts Jumbo-Visma in a unique position going into the race, now perhaps as the team to beat. Patrick Lefevere was surprised to hear of it and casts his opinion on how it can change the race.

"I was also a little shocked by it. Jumbo-Visma is going with a mastodon of a team, but it still has to be ridden. Perhaps it can be an advantage that we ride completely for Remco and they have two leaders," Lefevere told VTM. After abandoning the Giro d'Italia, the World Champion is switching his gears towards the Vuelta, before travelling to the Tour de France next year.

The team is currently very active in the market, with Mikel Landa being widely mentioned as a possible signing to support Remco Evenepoel in the mountains. That is the biggest focus of the team currently, however Lefevere says that the Basque rider is not the only rider in Soudal - Quick-Step's cards.

"Maybe I'll shake up one or two more secret weapons. I had three managers over every day during the Tour. It's up to me to make the right decisions. I absolutely don't want to make bad purchases, but I'm entitled to one mistake a year."

He's also responded to the rumours that the team would be sold, he denies it, explaining that "basically, I'm not going to sell my shares. I have 20 percent, Zdenek Bakala 80 percent. He doesn't need money and neither do I until further notice. My being CEO has nothing to do with my stock. I remain CEO. Until someone taps me on the shoulder and says it's time to go".