One of the most colorful figures in cycling is retiring. Long-time manager Patrick Lefevere, currently still team boss of double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel, is stepping down at the end of the year.
11.12.2024, 14:16
SDA
"After 55 years in cycling, the time has come for me to step down. It's not a forced departure that was decided yesterday or the day before. It can't be denied either: I am physically no longer the same person I was 20 years ago," said the 69-year-old at a press conference.
Lefevere, who is handing over responsibility to his former operations manager Jurgen Foré, has shaped cycling as a manager like no other. After various activities as sporting director, the Belgian founded his Quick-Step racing team with other business partners and led the team to the top of the world with almost 1000 victories.
With his authoritarian management style, Lefevere was a man of clear words, even if he was not without controversy. At the beginning of the year, he sharply attacked two-time road world champion Julian Alaphilippe, who left the team at the end of the season to ride for the Swiss team Tudor. He accused his French star rider of "too much partying, too much alcohol" and that he was heavily under the influence of his partner and Tour de France director Marion Rousse. He had also clashed with Evenepoel's father Patrick when it came to a premature change of team.
In contrast to many of his companions, Lefevere also survived the dark doping era in cycling almost unscathed. When a newspaper once made serious accusations in an article, he sued - and won.
