Lampaert admits he's spoken to Wout van Aert about the merger of Jumbo and Quick-Step: "I've joked about it with him"

Rumors of a possible merger between two cycling giants, Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step, continue to make waves in the world of professional cycling. Ahead of the start of the Franco-Belgian Tour, Nieuwsblad spoke with Quick-Step rider Yves Lampaert, who shared his thoughts and perspectives on this mega-merger and confessed that he had discussed it with his Belgian teammate Wout van Aert.

Since mid-July, talks between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step have been ongoing with the goal of creating a merger team by 2024. This rumor, initially reported by specialist media outlet WielerFlits, has captured the attention of fans and pundits alike. According to sources, the resulting team would bear the name "Visma-Soudal" or "Soudal-Visma," with prominent figures such as Richard Plugge as general manager, Merijn Zeeman as head coach and Patrick Lefevere as a member of the supervisory board. Many believe the merger is only a matter of time, with some even tracing the first talks back to the last Tour de France.

On the matter, Yves Lampaert, a Quick-Step veteran since 2015, commented, "The atmosphere hasn't changed much. We don't know much more than what is reported in the media. We will wait and do the best we can, as always. Anyway, I'm confident and I'm not worried. If you have a contract like mine, everything will be fine. There are certainly questions, but we will wait patiently. Some messages are also contradictory. We read that the merger could happen before 2024, while other media suggest that this is not possible for the same amount of money."

One of the highlights of this merger would be the consolidation of two high-performance teams into one, which would surely generate greater competition in the peloton. However, Lampaert acknowledged that uncertainty and contradictions in information have raised questions, but at the same time, he remained positive about the future.

The Belgian cyclist also shared some anecdotes about his conversations with the talented Wout van Aert regarding the merger. "I was already joking about it with him. After the European Championships, I sent Wout: 'I saw you were having fun with me in your room.' But taking over the team right away is very drastic. Wout had a good laugh about it," Lampaert concluded.

The possible merger between Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step remains one of the hottest topics in professional cycling, and while the details remain completely unclear, confidence and anticipation continue to build. Cycling could be on the verge of a new era with this exciting development on the horizon.