Race news

End of an era: Quick-Step to be replaced as title sponsor after 24 years

Soudal Quick-Step will become Soudal Safety Jogger from 2027, bringing an end to Quick-Step’s long-running title sponsorship of the team.

Tim Merlier Soudal Quick-Step Tour de France 2026
Cor Vos

Quick-Step has served as a title sponsor of the team since it was launched by Patrick Lefevere in 2003, sharing the naming rights with companies including Omega Pharma and Deceuninck over the years. The flooring company’s association with top-level cycling began when it served as a co-sponsor of Mapei in 1999. 

The Quick-Step name will remain on the jersey as a lower-tier sponsor until the end of 2030, but on the first rest day of the Tour de France, CEO Jurgen Foré announced that Safety Jogger would become co-title sponsor of the team from next season.

Safety Jogger, a Belgian personal protective equipment manufacturer, has been a sub-sponsor of the team since 2022. The company’s headquarters are in Oudenaarde, site of the finale of the Tour of Flanders.

“The strongest partnerships are built on shared values, which is exactly why our future with Safety Jogger is so compelling,” Foré said in a statement released on Monday.

“While we both share proud roots in Flanders, we have each built a global footprint through a relentless commitment to innovation and excellence. This new co-title partnership is the natural evolution of a highly successful relationship, and we are excited to take our collaboration to the next level as we pursue ambitious global goals together.” 

2027 is set to mark a year of change, with Merida set to replace Specialized as the team’s bike supplier. 

The Soudal Quick-Step organisation has already undergone a steady transition in recent years. Foré took over as CEO on Lefevere’s retirement in late 2024, while the team underwent something of a reboot last winter following Remco Evenepoel’s transfer to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. 

Evenepoel’s departure triggered a renewed emphasis on the team’s traditional strengths in the Classics and the sprints, and there have been encouraging signs in 2026. New signing Jasper Stuyven placed third at Paris-Roubaix, while Paul Magnier sprinted to a hat-trick of stage wins and the maglia ciclamino at the Giro d’Italia.

Soudal Quick-Step have also enjoyed a fast start to the Tour de France, with Tim Merlier claiming back-to-back sprint victories at Bordeaux and Bergerac in the opening week.

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