Farewell and future - Soudal Quick-Step 2025 verdict

2024 saw Soudal Quick-Step win 34 races and end the season 3rd in the UCI team rankings. Among these victories were four stages of the Giro d’Italia and one at the Tour de France. More importantly, last year marked a big moment for Soudal Quick-Step, marking their transition from the Cobbled Classics kings to a GC team, culminating with Remco Evenepoel finishing on the podium of the Tour de France. With this achievement ticked off, the expectations from a GC perspective had risen. 

In terms of transfers, it wasn’t straightforward as the team would lose two of their most successful riders in Julian Alaphilippe and Kasper Asgreen, as well as the valuable experience of Gianni Moscon, Fausto Masnada and Jan Hirt, all very strong riders. The likes of Ethan Hayter, Pascal Eenkhoorn and Maximilian Schachmann joined the team with points to prove, as well as Giro d’Italia stage winner Valentin Paret-Peintre. Dries van Gestel, Gianmarco Garafoli and Andrea Raccagni Noviero also joined the roster.

The ambition for 2025 would have been to extend on Evenepoel’s GC performances, continue to shine with Tim Merlier in the sprints, and return to their fighting best in the classics, also.

Wins: 54
UCI Ranking: 5th
The Verdict: 8.5/10

Soudal Quick-Step continued to be one of the most successful teams in 2025, with a huge tally of 54 victories, only dwarfed by a record-breaking UAE Team Emirates-XRG. In his final season with the team, it was a year of highs and lows for Remco Evenepoel. After abandoning the Tour de France, the Belgian ended the season on a strong note, leaving him able to have his head held high as he moves on to pastures new.

Tim Merlier continued to prove himself as arguably the best sprinting force in the peloton right now, with 16 victories, eight of which were at the WorldTour level, including two Tour de France stages

Paul Magnier hit red-hot form in the latter half of the season. In the space of just over a month, Magnier won the GP de Fourmies, four stages at the Tour de Slovakia, another four at the CRO Race, and five at the Tour of Guangxi. In the end, Magnier ended the 2025 season with an exceptional tally of 19 victories, with only Tadej Pogacar taking more. This left Magnier as Soudal Quick-Step’s second-highest UCI points scorer behind Evenepoel, and with the Belgian’s departure, he will be a key rider for the team in 2026.

With the departure of Evenepoel, Soudal Quick-Step have signalled their intent to return to their Classics roots in 2026, something which they weren’t at their best in 2025. 

After a delayed start to his campaign, because of his off-season crash, it was straight into the Ardennes for the Belgian phenomenon. Evenepoel started with a bang, out-sprinting Wout van Aert to win De Brabantse Pijl.

The Belgian continued to illustrate his strengths as he, alongside Mattias Skjelmose, managed to catch Tadej Pogačar at the Amstel Gold Race, a rare sight, after the World Champion had previously stormed clear. In the end, Evenepoel settled for 3rd in the sprint between the trio. Liège-Bastogne-Liège didn't go to plan for the former two-time winner, and his attention then turned to the build-up for the Tour de France with the Tour de Romandie and Critérium du Dauphiné.

The Tour wouldn't see the same outcome as 2024 for Evenepoel, although it looked to be the case when he stormed to victory in stage 5's individual time trial. The Belgian's race would end prematurely after abandoning on stage 14 on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet.

Evenepoel bounced back from his Tour disappointment to complete the World and European time trial double, whilst doing a silver equivalent in the road races behind Pogačar. Whilst Pogačar was in a league of his own during these races, it’s also fair to say that Evenepoel was too, compared to the rest of the field, comfortably finishing ahead of the 3rd placed rider on each occasion.

In his final outing with Soudal Quick-Step, Evenepoel finished 2nd at Il Lombardia behind Pogačar, a carbon copy of twelve months previously. Overall, Evenepoel finished the season with 8 victories and 6th in the UCI rankings. He was the team’s most valuable rider for the fourth successive season, running back to 2022.

It’s no secret that Soudal Quick-Step had lofty GC ambitions with Remco Evenepoel at the Tour de France. Therefore, when the Belgian abandoned the race on the slopes of the Col du Tourmalet on stage 14, there would have been major disappointment for the team. However, it can’t be understated the importance of the success that the Belgian team achieved away from the GC. 

Tim Merlier maintained his prolific record of winning Grand Tour stage wins he contested with two stage victories during the opening week in Dunkirk and Châteauroux. Despite his eventual disappointment, Evenepoel roared to victory in stage 5’s individual time trial in Caen whilst donning the rainbow jersey.

Even after the abandon of Evenepoel, the team did a good job of recollecting themselves and managed to get one more stage win via Valentin Paret-Peintre. In all, any Grand Tour with four stage wins is a fruitful return for any team, particularly the Tour de France.

It’s been a strong year for Soudal Quick-Step’s new signings in 2025. Maximilian Schachmann enjoyed a solid first season back with the team, racing the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, and won two time trials across the campaign. Meanwhile, Ethan Hayter enjoyed a standout season in the time trial discipline, winning five events in the discipline, including the British championships and a stage at the Baloise Belgium Tour, where he defeated Filippo Ganna.

However, it was Valentin Paret-Peintre who produced the most spectacular moment when he outsprinted Ben Healy to victory atop Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France, after a mountain leadout by teammate Ilan van Wilder inside the final kilometre. 

This wasn’t the only individual success for Paret-Peintre in 2025, as he started his season in style by beating Adam Yates atop the Green Mountain in the final stage of the Tour of Oman in February. It was a disappointing Vuelta a España for the Frenchman, who was forced to abandon on stage 4. Ultimately, after winning a Giro d’Italia stage in 2024, this season Paret-Peintre reached even bigger heights with that Tour stage win. It's fair to say that Soudal Quick-Step's new signings for 2025 made a difference to the team's fortunes.

Two riders are tied at the top of the charts for most race days for Soudal Quick-Step in 2025. Maximilian Schachmann reached 75 race days in his first season back with the team. Schachmann’s season included both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. He was joined by Josef Černý on 75 race days, including the Giro d'Italia.

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