Red Bull or Ineos? Talk of Remco Evenepoel's early exit from Soudal-QuickStep resurfaces at Tour de France

Remco Evenepoel could leave Soudal-QuickStep a year before the end of his contract and move to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for 2026, with more reports of transfer talks arising but also claims that any final deal will only be agreed after the Tour de France.

Speculation surrounding Evenepoel's future has been ongoing for several years, and Escape Collective reported ahead of stage 3 that Evenepoel has opened talks with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe about a transfer.

Cyclingnews has been told by a trusted source that the deal is likely, but the complexity of the situation, and Evenepoel's current contract at Soudal-QuickStep, could see the move play out over several months.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, talks are ongoing with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Ineos Grenadiers, who have recently seen TotalEnergies come on board as a major sponsor, boosting their budget and ambitions. However, the Flemish newspaper suggests the transfer talks have been put 'on hold' during the Tour de France, so that Evenepoel can focus on performing as well as possible for Soudal-QuickStep.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team manager Ralph Denk has long been the frontrunner in pursuit of Evenepoel's signature, looking to complete his goal of winning the Tour de France. Ineos Grenadiers had also been named as a potential landing spot, with former Soudal-QuickStep manager Patrick Lefevere suggesting to Dan Benson that Lidl-Trek could also try to sign Evenepoel.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's use of Specialized equipment would provide a smoother transition for Evenepoel, who has a personal sponsorship deal with the American bike brand, while Red Bull could surely bankroll any transfer fee and a considerable increase in Evenepoel's salary.

Speaking at the start of the Tour in Lille to Daniel Benson's Substack, Denk expressed his "respect" for Evenepoel's existing contract but didn't rule out a move for next season.

"The situation is clear and the rumours in the transfer market, but he has a contract and I'm a big fan of Remco to be honest, but a contract is there and I will respect it," Denk told Daniel Benson.

Denk said, "At the moment, no," when asked if there was a possibility for a 2026 move, "but you know cycling changes fast, but at the moment, no."

Escape reported that the remaining time on Evenepoel's contract is a key factor in the deal. Soudal-QuickStep will surely want to secure millions in financial compensation for losing their Tour de France team leader. If Evenepoel is determined to leave, Soudal-QuickStep may prefer to accept a deal rather than obtaining nothing when his contract ends in 18 months.

Evenepoel himself was asked about speculation surrounding his future at the pre-Tour press conference in Lille, but brushed the question aside, insisting he hadn't seen any stories.

"It's the first thing I heard about it. Because I mean I didn't see anything pass by, so it's a bit of a surprise for me," said Evenepoel. "I don't know which story that you are talking about.

"But if you probably start to know me a bit, comments from the outside, or stressful situations will not have a big effect on me. I'm always calm, whether it's a positive or negative situation, and I will never crack under pressure."

Soudal-QuickStep team manager Jurgen Foré made his position clear in May when speaking to WielerFlits. He seems ready to fight any transfer.

"There are rumours, but there are also contracts, and that's what counts," Foré said in reference to Evenepoel.

"Those rumours have always been there, even before I joined the team. But the only thing on the table is a contract with an end date of December 2026. That is the contractual reality at the moment."

Despite the big interest in him as a GC rider, Evenepoel's Tour didn't get off to the best start.

He missed the echelon attack on stage 1 and lost 39 seconds to Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike). They are the two riders he will have to beat if he wants to win the Tour in the next few seasons, be it with Soudal-QuickStep, Ineos Grenadiers or Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.

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