Cycling’s Avengers Assemble: The Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step Fusion

What could be better than two superteams? One superteam. One… err… really big super team. The latest crazy news from the pro peloton is juicier than a water bottle on a hot summer ride.

So, here’s the scoop – Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step, two big names in the cycling biz, are in deep discussions about joining forces. Yep, they’re flirting with the idea of becoming a cycling Voltron, a new ‘super team,’ if you will. And if all goes according to plan, we might be calling them Soudal-Visma or Visma-Soudal by 2024. Creative, I know.

Now, imagine this: Richard Plugge from Jumbo-Visma takes the wheel as the CEO of this potential powerhouse. Merijn Zeeman, the guy with the plan, would become the new head coach, and Patrick Lefevere, the maestro himself, could be sitting pretty on the supervisory board. It’s like the cycling version of a superhero origin story.

But what’s really got everyone’s gears turning is the prospect of these star-studded lineups. We’re talking Remco Evenepoel, Tour de France champ Jonas Vingegaard, and Giro d’Italia conqueror Primož Roglič all under one roof. It’s like assembling the Avengers of cycling. And that’s not all; they’re tossing in Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe for good measure. Can you say ‘dream team’?

Now, let’s rewind a bit. Apparently, these merger whispers started floating around last summer. Jumbo-Visma’s bigwigs even dialed up Zdenek Bakala, the Soudal Quick-Step owner, and they had a powwow in Switzerland. It’s like a high-stakes cycling summit in the Alps.

And guess what? The title sponsors from both teams, Soudal and Visma, are cheering this merger on like it’s the final sprint of the Tour de France. They want this super team on the road, pronto!

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Nobody knows how this merger will affect the riders and staff on both teams. Contracts, folks, contracts! Both squads already have 29 riders each, and the max number is 30. Someone might have to draw the short straw.

And what about the bike, tech, and gear sponsors? It’s a wild west out there in the cycling world, and those sponsors might have to shuffle their decks.

But let’s not forget the ladies! Jumbo-Visma’s got a Women’s WorldTour team led by Dutch superstar Marianne Vos. Soudal Quick-Step, on the other hand, has a Continental license but wants to make the big leap to the WorldTour in 2024. So, what’s the plan for the women’s squads, you ask? Well, we’re all scratching our helmets on that one.