Patrick Lefevere steps down as CEO of Soudal-QuickStep

It’s the finish of an period as Patrick Lefebvre steps down as CEO of the Soudal-QuickStep group. like Planned since late 2023Chief Working Officer Jurgen Foré will assume the place Lefevere has held for greater than 20 years.

Lefebvre had promised to stay as group supervisor till 2026 when the group introduced that Faurie would step by step transfer to the CEO place, however the information comes a 12 months early as Lefebvre will finish his time period on December 31, 2024.

Lefebvre will stay as an honorary member of the group’s board of administrators, whereas Fauré will take up his place on the chief board alongside shareholder Zdenek Pakala and Orit van Zyl, the group’s advisor.

“It’s a life-changing second to depart the position I’ve been so dedicated to in my life,” Lefebvre mentioned within the group’s press launch. “Biking is a sport I’m nonetheless very obsessed with and it has been a terrific honor to move up this lovely group and make so many particular recollections.

“However I felt it was the fitting second for this modification. Once I began working with Jurgen one 12 months in the past, it was with the purpose of facilitating the transition after I ultimately left. I noticed how his relationships have been with our sponsors and companions, in addition to the group’s inside stakeholders over the course of The final 12 months, I do know that with Jurgen as CEO and with the assist of the Board, this group has a shiny future.

“There are numerous folks I’ve to thank, too many to say individually, however there are in fact my household, the gifted riders within the group, our devoted employees, and our loyal sponsors, all supported by the generosity and assist of our group proprietor Mr. Zdenek Pakala.”

Lefebvre spent most of his biking profession initially as a rider and, after retiring at 24, turning into sporting director and supervisor of a wide range of groups together with the dominant Mapei group. In 2001, he returned to Belgium to start out the Domo-Farm Frites group, which later merged with the stays of Mapei to type the Quickstep-Davitamon group in 2003.

Star riders who’ve labored with Lefebvre embody Johan Museo, Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, Julian Alaphilippe and, most lately, Remco Evenepoel.

Lefebvre, who turns 70 in January, has led his groups to just about 1,000 victories in response to the press launch, together with 19 world titles, 22 Memorial titles and Remco Evenepoel’s Vuelta a España win in 2022 as his solely Grand Tour victory.

“I want to begin by thanking Patrick for his dedication and keenness in making Soudal Fast-Step the group it’s right now,” Pacala mentioned. “Patrick has usually spoken concerning the arduous work put in by his crew and riders, however this has been bolstered by the figurehead on the prime and we must always not underestimate the way in which Patrick has constructed a tradition that enables these riders and employees to thrive.

“Nonetheless, we all know that each one issues change sooner or later and we really feel that that is the fitting time to make these structural adjustments to the administration of our group, which have been made with the settlement of all events. With this shift, I exhibit my dedication to the long-term way forward for the group and guaranteeing a shiny future for Soudal.” Fast Step.”

The information comes because the group has put aside a lot of its historic Spring Classics targets in favor of supporting Evenepoel in its quest to win the Tour de France. The group has named seven new riders for 2025 however has misplaced Alaphilippe to Tudor and former Tour of Flanders winner Casper Asgren to EF Training-EasyPost.

Fauré will now oversee the way forward for Soudal-Quickstep, and he praised Lefevere within the press launch.

“Patrick Lefebvre has been an iconic determine in skilled biking, and everybody has nice respect and admiration for him. He has been capable of construct a steady base and stability that has grown this group for over 20 years. I want to thank him personally for that.” The assist he has given me over the previous 12 months since I joined the group, I perceive and really feel how particular this group is, and I’ll do every little thing I can to care for it.

“I’ll now stay up for main this group, and dealing to safe its long-term future. I’ve been concerned in biking in lots of roles and as a part of group administration and I’m assured that by combining this with my enterprise expertise, it’ll permit me to construct a construction that may take “Soudal’s fast transfer from energy to energy.”