Will the main leaders of the peloton wear the same colors in 2024? The hypothesis, which was only rumor until then, gained weight on Saturday September 30, after Patrick Lefevere, the manager of the Belgian team Soudal-Quick Step, recognized the existence of discussions at subject of a merger between his Belgian team and the powerful Dutch team Jumbo-Visma.

In his weekly column for the Flemish daily Het Nieuwsblad, Mr. Lefevere mentions “a letter of intent” between two of the largest professional cycling structures in the world. These discussions are the consequence of the upcoming withdrawal of Jumbo as sponsor of the Dutch team and the desire of Patrick Lefevere to take a step back after thirty years at the head of a cycling team.

“I will be 69 in January, age plays a role. I would even say that I have had enough now,” explains the Belgian, who nevertheless assures “that he does not want to let the team down.” “There should be a lot more clarity by Monday,” he adds.

According to the Soudal-Quick Step manager, the first talks between Czech billionaire Zdenek Bakala, patron of his team, and Dutch businessman Robert van der Wallen, co-owner of Jumbo-Visma, took place before and during the 2023 Tour de France.

“I’m going to leave the team.”

The merger between two of the best teams of the moment would be an earthquake in the world of cycling. She would ask many questions about the fate of riders under contract and about the cohabitation between stars like the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, double winner of the Tour de France, the Belgians Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert, the Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe and the American Sepp Kuss, recent winner of the Tour of Spain.

If it were to take place, the operation would in any case not concern Primoz Roglic, who announced on Saturday, before the start of the Tour of Emilia, that he would no longer wear the Jumbo-Visma jersey in 2024. “I can simply confirm that I will be leaving the team. I will say after the races [in Italy] where I will go,” Roglic said.

The Dutch team also reported this future departure by posting the video of the Slovenian’s declaration on its X account (formerly Twitter), topped with a short text: “After a memorable journey together, Team Jumbo-Visma granted the possibility for Primoz Roglic to take on other challenges elsewhere in the future. »

Roglic, 33, was initially under contract with Jumbo-Visma until 2024. The former ski jumper joined the team in 2016 when it was called LottoNL-Visma. Under the yellow and black jersey, the Slovenian notably won Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2020, the Tour of Spain three times (2019, 2020, 2021), the Giro once (this year) and finished 2nd in the Tour de France 2020 after wearing the yellow jersey for eleven days.

After the Tour of Emilia, he must participate on Saturday in the Tour of Lombardy, the “classic of dead leaves”, the last “monument” of the cycling season.