AG Insurance-Soudal boss ‘will be back’ after leaving team over ‘insurmountable difference of vision’

AG Insurance-Soudal founder and former team manager Natascha den Ouden has left the team she founded in 2018 due to “insurmountable differences in vision” around the project. The news came as the team’s majority ownership was taken under AG Insurance’s control, with Decolef, the company behind men’s team Soudal Quick-Step, as minority stakeholders.

Den Ouden founded what was then NXTG Racing in 2018, starting as a dedicated under-23 team – a rarity in women’s cycling. They have since grown to include an U19 squad, as well as joining the Women's WorldTour with an elite team at the start of 2024.

Patrick Lefevere first became involved with the team in 2022, with Experza, a company he co-founded, becoming a sponsor of the squad. AG Insurance came on board in the middle of that year, which helped to launch the elite team for 2023. This also coincided with a partnership with Decolef, the owners of Soudal Quick-Step, and the team became AG Insurance-Soudal Quick-Step.

Den Ouden retained ownership of the team throughout this, though the team became closer with the men’s squad – they now share a kit – but on Friday it was confirmed that AG Insurance would take over the majority ownership, and Den Ouden would step down due to differences in vision with her other shareholders.

“Over the past few years, I have done my utmost to share my vision and mission with tremendous dedication and passion for the sport. From the beginning in 2018, I have stressed that the base of women's cycling must be broadened so that the top of cycling becomes bigger. Building a house does not start with a roof but with a solid foundation,” Den Ouden said in a statement on LinkedIn, explaining her ethos for a multi-tier system that can support a rider from junior level through to the WorldTour.

“Over the past year, an insurmountable difference of vision and insight arose that were at the basis of this project,” she continued. “I have therefore decided to withdraw as owner and team manager.

“I do not take this decision lightly. It is a farewell with pain in my heart. I want to thank riders and staff for their trust over the past years, the fans for their enthusiasm and sponsors for their contribution. Without your commitment, this team could never grow into the realization of my motto 'unlock your potential’.”

In a text conversation with GCN, Den Ouden added that “the difference was too big for me to work” but did say “somehow I will be back”.

The team confirmed that Jurgen Foré, Soudal Quick-Step COO and slated replacement for Patrick Lefevere, would take over as team manager in Den Ouden’s place.

At present, it is unclear what this means for other members of AG Insurance-Soudal’s team management and staff.

The team’s statement confirmed that current DS and former pro Jolien D’Hoore would become the team’s sport manager, the job title previously held by Servais Knaven, a retired professional and Den Ouden’s partner. However, there has not been any confirmation on whether this meant Knaven had left the team entirely, with Den Ouden suggesting to GCN that the current DS’s may stay but it was down to whether they wanted to or not.

It also remains to be seen what the differences between Den Ouden’s values and the future of the project are. No official comment has been made about the future of the U19 and U23 set-ups, but Den Ouden’s comments allude to a disagreement over the importance of these pathway branches, and with Soudal Quick-Step working more closely with the team it is possible that there may be a more dedicated focus on the WorldTour side of racing.

This year, AG Insurance-Soudal took their first win at WorldTour level when Ally Wollaston won stage 1 of the Tour Down Under. Wollaston, a New Zealander, is a graduate of the team’s U23 development system, having joined their U23 team in 2021. Other alumni of the system include Charlotte Kool, who now races for dsm-firmenich PostNL and is considered one of the best sprinters in the peloton.