“Together we can offer an even stronger pathway”: Soudal Quick-Step and Hagens Berman Axeon unify development structures to secure future cycling talent

Soudal - Quick-Step has announced a new long-term partnership with Hagens Berman Axeon, creating a unified development structure aimed at providing young riders with a clearer pathway to the WorldTour. The announcement means Hagens Berman, currently involved with Jayco AlUla's development setup, will become a major sponsor of the Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team from 2027.

The roots of the agreement go back much further than the official announcement. Soudal - Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré and Hagens Berman Axeon owner Axel Merckx were teammates as teenagers at the ASLK-CGER Eddy Merckx Vrienden development team.

Under the new partnership, riders are expected to benefit from closer integration with the WorldTour team's performance programme, while coaches and staff from both organisations will work together across areas such as coaching, testing, sports science and rider development.

The agreement also guarantees Hagens Berman's continued involvement in developing young cyclists, with the company remaining a major sponsor of the Soudal Quick-Step Development Team.

Soudal CEO Jurgen Foré described the partnership as the natural result of a friendship and shared vision that stretches back decades. "When Axel and I were riding together as teenagers, we could never have imagined that one day we would be leading teams with such a shared vision," he said in an official statement. "Looking back now, those years taught us just how important the right environment is for young riders."

The Belgian explained that the goal is to help promising cyclists develop both professionally and personally. "We want talented riders to develop step by step, supported by people who understand both the sporting and personal challenges of becoming a professional cyclist."

"Both Hagens Berman Axeon and the Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team have built outstanding reputations for developing young cyclists as athletes and as personalities, and together we can offer an even stronger pathway to the WorldTour."

Axel Merckx echoed those sentiments, highlighting the long-standing relationship between himself and Foré. "Jurgen and I have known each other since we were young riders, so this partnership feels very natural," Merckx said.

"We've both experienced the importance of strong development programmes and we've both dedicated our careers to helping the next generation."

He believes the collaboration will preserve everything Hagens Berman Axeon has built while opening new opportunities for future riders. "Joining forces with Soudal Quick-Step allows us to build on everything we've created over the past two decades while giving our riders access to one of the best performance environments in professional cycling."

Hagens Berman managing partner Steve Berman also welcomed the agreement, calling it "a natural next step" in the programme's evolution. "I have always believed in creating a pathway for young riders to break into the sport, and watching this pipeline turn prospects into WorldTour pros for over a decade is proof positive," he said.

The announcement represents another significant investment by Soudal Quick-Step in youth development, with the Belgian squad aiming to ensure that promising riders have an increasingly seamless route from the junior ranks to the highest level of professional cycling.