Soudal-QuickStep director on cancelled merger – 'If true, good news for everybody'
Veteran DS Bramati delivers upbeat message as Jumbo-Vism🐈a fusion project collapses

168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Soudal-QuickStep sports director Davide Bramati has responded positively to the news that the controversial merger between the Belgian squad and Jumbo-Visma is 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:likely not going to happen.
Earlier today, Belgian and Dutch media reported that, after days of fraugh🐲t negotiations, Soudal-QuickStep will continue in its current format until the end of 2025, with Patrick Lefevere and Czech billionaire Zdenek ꧒Bakala continuing as owners.
Jumbo-Visma, meanwhile, will continue in their quest for a sponsorship deal to replace the Dutch supermarket chain, whꦑo are set to pull out of the team at the end of 2024.
The reported fusion had caused 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:deep uncertainty amongst Soudal-QuickStep’s riders and staff, with a significant percentage facing the prospect of looking for a new employer late in the year if the season had gone ahead.
Earlier this week some team members pointed to the 🐟deep loss the end of a historic team like Soudal-QuickStep would represent in the sport. Others highlighted the tension they were experiencing as a result of the merger rumours a🦩nd the lack of clear information.
Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep merger is off, according to Belgian reports
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Julian Alaphilippe: possible demise of Soudal-QuickStep in current form 'sad, above all'
Soudal-QuickStep riders, staff veer between anxiety and hope over possible new 'B' team
Rider 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Ilan Van Wilder's pithy "We don't agree with this shit, we want to continue as Soudal-QuickStep" after winning 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday left little doub𒐪t about his feelings, either.
Bramati was approached for comment after the directeurs sportifs race meeting ahead of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Il Lombardia on Friday afternoon by Italian website . The outspoken Italian, who🐻 saidಞ earlier this week he had spent a great deal of time trying to maintain the squad's morale during the Italian Classics, visibly smiled when it was put to him that the merger was off the table.
"The news was go💞ing round during the director's meeting," Bramati replied. "I haven’t read anything about it yet.
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"But for sur❀e if it's true, I think it's good news for everybody and for all of cycling."
Following this palpable lowering of the tensio꧟n levels, Bramati said that during the week of Italian racing, the team had remained strong under difficult conditions. He praised the "riders ꧃and staff for showing that even with all this stuff going on, we've got on doing all our things."
Mꦺeanwhile, initial reactions were beginning to trickle out ജof the Jumbo-Visma camp, with sports director Frans Maassen reportedly telling , "I think it is clear and it is best for everyone."
As for the upcoming battle at Il Lombardia between Soudal-QuickStep's 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Remco Evenepoel, defending champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jumbo-Visma's departing star Primož Roglič, amongst others, Bramati was guarded about the Belgian's options, pointing out that Evenepoel had not raced since completing the Vuelta nearly three weeks ago.
"We'll see.༒ The legs are what they are and it’s a tough course," he said. "But it's not just about Remco for us – we've got 🔯a good team here all round and we'll see what we can do."
Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The Independent, The Guardian, ProCycling, The Express and Reuters.