Patrick Lefevere leaves hospital after 24-day stay due to serious illness

"I've had 24 very difficult days, during which I was seriously ill," Lefevere wrote on social media platform X. "I received the best possible care and can now leave the hospital."

The 70-year-old Belgian made it clear his health struggles are far from over. "The road to recovery is still long, but I'm on the right track. I want to thank all the specialists and nurses for the excellent care."

Lefevere was admitted to AZ Delta hospital in Roeselare, though the exact nature of his illness has not been disclosed. This hospitalisation comes just months after another health scare earlier this year.

In March, the former cyclist and team manager was briefly admitted to Ghent University Hospital after becoming unwell due to a drop in blood pressure.

The Belgian spent more than 20 years at the helm of Belgian WorldTour outfit Quick-Step before he announced his retirement as CEO in early December last year.

The cycling figure handed over the leadership reins of Soudal-QuickStep to Jurgen Foré, who had already been serving as the team's operational director throughout 2024.