Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step merger reportedly cancelled

Just hours after Remco Evenepoel spoke of the desire to concentrate on Il Lombardia rather than spend time thinking about the supposed merger between his Soudal Quick-Step side and the Jumbo-Visma team, it has been reported that negotiations between the two WorldTeams have broken down. In no uncertain terms, the Visma-Soudal merger is currently off the table.

Read more: Remco Evenepoel responds to merger talks: 'I only know what the media writes about it'

The bombshell news emerged on Friday afternoon from Belgian broadcaster Sporza and was soon backed up by Belgian newspapers Het Nieuwsblad and Het Laatste Nieuws.

A couple of hours later, AD issued a fresh bombshell with reports that Amazon, which was set to sponsor the merger team, had pulled out. The Dutch publication also suggested that Jumbo-Visma had sourced a bespoke title sponsor in the form of PON, owner of their bike supplier, Cervélo.

The wave of news comes after weeks of speculation, uncertainty and panic within the sport, following the initial news that Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step had signed a letter of intent to join forces.

It would have meant the likes of Sepp Kuss, Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, and Evenepoel may have ended up as teammates in 2024, although Primož Roglič was already leaving Jumbo-Visma and was unveiled on Friday as a new signing for Bora-Hansgrohe.

Read more: Bora-Hansgrohe confirm arrival of 'inspirational' Primož Roglič

The latest reports may well provide some relief to those within the Soudal Quick-Step pack, who would have been particularly damaged by the amalgamation of both sides, but it could spell more trouble for Evenepoel's future relationship with the Belgian team.

Amazon out, PON in?

The merger talks began in the summer when Richard Plugge and Robert van de Wallen from Jumbo-Visma reached out to Bakala at Soudal Quick-Step. Their ambition was clear, to replace the investment that will be lost when Jumbo departs as a title sponsor following the 2024 season.

Lefevere is also understood to have been involved in the negotiations, but it is Bakala who has been the strongest supporter of a merger with Jumbo-Visma. In contrast, Lefevere has been publicly reserved and just last weekend spoke of the complications introduced with the imminent arrival of Amazon as a non-title sponsor of the Jumbo-Visma outfit.

Read more: Patrick Lefevere says Amazon arrival raises questions over Jumbo-Visma and Soudal Quick-Step merger

The American e-commerce giant was said to be piling at least €15 million per year into the Dutch side, but fresh reports from AD have thrown their involvement into jeopardy. Their sources indicate that Amazon's sponsorship may yet come to nothing, and that Jumbo-Visma have found an alternative title sponsor instead.

With Jumbo still committed to walking away from title sponsorship at the end of 2024, Dutch company PON has reportedly been lined up as a replacement. The PON conglomerate is a major player in the transportation sector, owning the likes of Cervélo - Jumbo-Visma's current tyre manufacturer - and importing various car brands.

AD reports that PON and Visma could be locked in to title sponsorship throughout the coming years, but whether the team name would be PON-Visma, Cervélo-Visma or alike is still far from clear.

Where does this leave Soudal Quick-Step?

It was only this week that it emerged that Lefevere had entered discussions with his team's secondary sponsors in regard to establishing a new team for those riders and staff left without a contract in event of the merger. However, such plans will now surely fall to the wayside as the negotiations come to a standstill.

Read more: Patrick Lefevere trying to set up team with ‘victims’ of Jumbo-Visma merger

It appears that Soudal Quick-Step team owner Zdenek Bakala and CEO Patrick Lefevere will now prolong their working relationship until 2025, but the former still holds major reservations about continuing in the long term.

As a result, the investments required to bolster the squad around team leader Evenepoel are now said to be out of the question, meaning that Bahrain Victorious' Mikel Landa is likely to be the last big-name recruit for the WorldTeam ahead of 2024.

Evenepoel has held public reservations in the past about his squad's capability of supporting him at the 2024 Tour de France, and this news will no doubt serve to fuel the speculation that last year's Vuelta a España champion may be eager to leave Soudal Quick-Step before the expiry of his contract in 2026.

For Soudal Quick-Step, the long-term future of their team appears more insecure than ever and the talk of falling investment will surely unsettle Evenepoel, who has already been courted by the likes of Ineos Grenadiers and Jumbo-Visma themselves.