"She is Tadej Pogacar's girlfriend, but she doesn't act like it at all" - Patrick Lefevere shares tale of first meeting with Urska Zigart

Patrick Lefevere may have taken a step back from his duties at Soudal - Quick-Step at the end of 2024. The Belgian continues to prove a notable figure in the cycling world though, raising a few eyebrows in his latest column for Het Nieuwsblad.

Lefevere notes how since retirement, his wife has been keen to keep him out of the house! "They're installing a new bathroom at our place," he explains. "I spent a few days in the UAE Tour with our women's team, right in the echelon stages. That was fun. I got to know Kim Le Court Pienaar, who came third in the final classification."

It wasn't only Kim Le Court Pienaar who was introduced to Lefevere. Also noted is a first meeting with one of AG Insurance - Soudal's newest signings, four-time Slovenian national champion Urska Zigart from the recent women's UAE Tour. "I gave Urska Zigart advice about echelon riding. After the race she came to me: 'Patrick, you saved my life!'" recalls Lefevere. "She is Pogacar's girlfriend, but she doesn't act like it at all. Although she apparently feels that pressure herself when racing."

As seen by his trip to the UAE recently, Lefevere's retirement doesn't neccesarily mean a complete cut back from his duties with the Soudal - Quick-Step and AG Insurance Soudal teams. "I am still on the Board of Advisors, which meets four times a year. In the women's team, I sit on a full-fledged Board of Directors together with Jolien D'hoore, Jurgen Foré and Rob Maes and Jan Heyvaert from AG Insurance," he concludes. "Since the announcement of my departure, I have been to the office in Wevelgem twice in total. I am allowed to keep my desk there, but I recently received a phone call from Geert Coeman asking if they could use it for certain meetings. I will go by soon to really clear my desk."