Cyclist Remco Evenepoel departs from Soudal team and joins Red Bull-BORA squad
Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe Secures Remco Evenepoel for 2026, Shifts Focus
Remco Evenepoel, the 25-year-old Belgian cyclist known as 'The Pitbull', has confirmed his transfer to Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe for the 2026 season, marking the end of his tenure at Soudal Quick-Step where he turned professional in 2019 [1][2][5].
The move has been anticipated for months and is now fully finalized. With Evenepoel's arrival, Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe is expected to raise its ambitions significantly, implying a strategic recalibration that could affect existing team leaders like Primož Roglič [1]. The team is effectively building a "team within a team" around Evenepoel, with several key staff and riders from his current team set to join him [1][2][3][5].
Primož Roglič, currently one of the great talents in the international peloton, remains with Red Bull-BORA. However, the team’s focus and goals are likely to shift to centre more heavily around Evenepoel, potentially impacting Roglič’s role in the future [1]. It is unclear whether Roglič will change teams or form a duo with Evenepoel.
Evenepoel has had a successful career so far, winning the European championship in 2019, several classics including Lieja-Bastogne-Lieja and San Sebastián, and the world championship twice (2023 and 2024) [4]. This year, he won the sixth stage, the time trial in Caen, in the Tour de France, and finished third in the Tour de France in 2022 [3]. However, he had to abandon the Tour de France in the fourteenth stage this year [3].
Roglič, who is 35 years old, has won four editions of La Vuelta and one of the Giro d'Italia [4]. He is the first Belgian to win a Grand Tour since 1978 and was the Olympic road and time trial champion from Paris 2024 [4]. In 2022, he won his first victory in a three-week race, the Spanish Vuelta [4].
Soudal Quick-Step has stated that they believe it is best for all parties that Evenepoel moves on, and they have highlighted the achievements made since he joined their team [6]. Evenepoel's representatives have informed Soudal Quick-Step that they do not wish to discuss an extension of his current contract, which runs until 2026 [6].
In a statement, Soudal Quick-Step regrets Evenepoel's decision to leave but values the "memories" they have created together and will continue to strive for significant results for the rest of the season [6].
[1] https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/remco-evenepoel-signs-with-red-bull-for-2026/ [2] https://www.velonews.com/news/racing/remco-evenepoel-signs-with-red-bull-for-2026/ [3] https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france/2025/stage-14/results/ [4] https://www.redbull.com/int-en/racing/cycling/remco-evenepoel [5] https://www.soudalquickstep.com/remco-evenepoel-signs-with-red-bull-for-2026 [6] https://www.soudalquickstep.com/remco-evenepoel-to-leave-soudal-quick-step-at-end-of-2025-season
In the shift of focus for Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe, the team aims to elevate their ambitions by recruiting Remco Evenepoel, a renowned cyclist. Evenepoel, who has achieved success in football and other sports off the bike, is set to join Red Bull-BORA Hansgrohe for the 2026 season.
