Lefevere dreams of Quick Step/Omega Pharma-Lotto merger to save Belgian cycling

The future of Belgian cycling lies in establishing one team with the top national cyclists, says Quick Step general manager Patrick Lefevere. According to Lefevere the way to do that would be to merge the two Belgian ProTour teams, Quick Step and Omega Pharma-Lotto.

"Imagine: Tom Boonen and Philippe Gilbert in one team. I dream of that now. These two could win all the spring classics," Lefevere said.

According to the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, “A great merger, I think that is the only option to keep Belgian cycling at the top in the future,” Lefevere said. “All the great players together: Lotto, Quick Step and Omega Pharma.”

And the missing ingredient, Lefevere said, is Eddy Merckx. “It can't happen without him, I think. He is the key to our sport. That way we can build a team of 15 million euros. That way we can compete.”

"The best Belgian riders in one team, that has long been a dream of mine,” he added. There would also be several smaller teams for the young riders. “I want to provide clear guidance for young Belgian riders.”