2023-09-23 17:56:55
Soudal Quick-Step team manager Patrick Lefevere shared intriguing details about the departures of his team’s riders in his weekly column. In his story, Lefevere addressed the emotional farewell of Tim Declercq and the peculiar story of Mauro Schmid that has left everyone perplexed.
DE PANNE, BELGIUM – JANUARY 06: (L-R) The General manager Patrick Lefevere of Belgium and the World Champion Jersey and winner of 77th Tour of Spain Remco Evenepoel of Belgium during the Soudal Quick-Step 2023 – Team Presentation on January 06, 2023 in De Panne, Belgium. (Photo by Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
Patrick Lefevere revealed the surprising departures of some of the team’s riders in his weekly column for Het Nieuwsblad. Lefevere immersed himself in the emotional farewell of Tim Declercq and the curious story around Mauro Schmid.
Lefevere began his story by clarifying the situation of transformation in the team: “Great cycling fans will surely have noticed that this year we are saying goodbye to a considerable number of riders from our team. Currently, we have nine confirmed departures, in addition to Dries Devenyns, who is retiring from racing. Also, fifteen riders have reached the end of their contracts, so it is natural that there will be a large turnover,” he noted.
One of the most emotional moments for Lefevere was the farewell to Tim Declercq, whom he praised as a “workhorse.” He explained that he would have liked to keep Declercq on the team, but that they could not reach a financial agreement. Finally, Tim Declercq received a tempting offer from the Lidl-Trek team, which has substantial financial resources.
However, the most peculiar story centered on Mauro Schmid. The young rider had signed a contract with the Jayco-Alula team after this season. However, his departure was unusual since, after the World Cup in Glasgow, Schmid practically disappeared from the team’s radar. When asked about the lack of training data in the team’s system, Schmid stated that his Garmin device was broken. However, it was later discovered that he had been away for six days enjoying a trip to Las Vegas.
In his column, Lefevere reflected on goodbyes in the world of cycling and how they vary depending on the circumstances. As the cycling season draws to a close, teams like Soudal Quick-Step face the challenge of managing changes to their line-up. In some cases, like Mauro Schmid’s, these goodbyes can be surprising and mysterious, leaving cycling fans intrigued and bewildered by the stories surrounding their favorite cyclists.
Fernando Estupiñán
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