‘You’re destroying the Wolfpack’ - Lefevere reveals heated Remco Evenepoel clash during Visma merger saga

The uncertainty surrounding the proposed merger between Quick-Step and Jumbo-Visma caused tensions inside the Belgian team to boil over in 2023, according to Lefevere.

Writing in his weekly column for Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the former Quick-Step CEO revealed that Mauri Vansevenant confronted Remco Evenepoel on the team bus ahead of Il Lombardia.

“You’re destroying the Wolfpack,” Vansevenant told his teammate, according to Lefevere.

The confrontation came during a turbulent period for Quick-Step. Reports of a possible merger with Jumbo-Visma had emerged late in the 2023 season, raising immediate questions over the future of riders and staff and placing Evenepoel at the centre of intense speculation.

The prospect was particularly sensitive for a team that had built much of its identity around the Wolfpack. The merger ultimately collapsed and both teams continued independently, but uncertainty over Evenepoel’s future never fully disappeared.

After years of transfer speculation, he eventually left Quick-Step at the end of 2025 to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, despite originally being under contract through 2026.

Lefevere believes Vansevenant’s reaction at the time was partly shaped by the influence of his father Wim, himself a former professional rider, whose outlook he described as conservative.

“I always thought his father had pushed him to that point,” Lefevere wrote, adding that Wim Vansevenant later realised he had perhaps projected too much of his own career and experiences onto his son.

Even so, he stressed that he bears neither father nor son any ill will and wished them well ahead of Vansevenant’s move to Lotto.

The Vansevenant anecdote formed part of a broader discussion about Quick-Step’s plans for 2027, with Lefevere also directing criticism at successor Jurgen Foré over the composition of the squad.

Vansevenant’s departure formed part of a wider discussion about Quick-Step’s changing roster, with Lefevere turning his attention to the decisions made by his successor Jurgen Foré.

According to Lefevere, the team is already facing a squeeze for 2027 after committing to incoming riders and promotions from its development squad.

“It’s a mistake Jurgen has to take responsibility for,” Lefevere wrote. “I won’t pretend it never happened to me in all those years, but as CEO you should never lock yourself in this early.”

Ben Turner, Tim Torn Teutenberg and Lorenzo Milesi are set to arrive from other teams, while Lefevere named Viktor Soenens, Jasper Schoofs, Ceriel Desal and Federico Savino among the riders due to step up from the development structure.

That leaves Foré needing to create space, according to his predecessor.

“After the newly announced transfer of Ben Turner, there are actually 31,” Lefevere said. “One too many, even without Henrique Bravo.”

Bravo adds another complication. The Brazilian won the Giro della Valle d’Aosta this season and, according to Lefevere, has attracted interest from elsewhere, including Pinarello-Q36.5.

“A logical way to counter that interest is to promote Henrique to the WorldTour team, but that team is already at the maximum of 30 riders for 2027,” he wrote.

Simply cancelling one of the planned promotions may not be straightforward either.

“Rider agents nowadays have the timing of a move to the professional team written into contracts,” Lefevere said. “That’s simply how it works these days.”

Lefevere suggested that the solution to the roster squeeze may ultimately still be found among the riders expected to step up from the development team.

“I read that Ceriel Desal will be the one to miss out and won’t get his promotion, but I’m also hearing that things are moving around Jasper Schoofs,” he wrote.

“Nobody should be surprised if he isn’t wearing the Soudal Safety Jogger jersey next year after all.”