Soudal-QuickStep line up at Saturday's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with their most overhauled roster in years and a simple question hanging over it: can the team function without Remco Evenepoel?
Evenepoel's departure to Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, confirmed in August 2025 after a reported €6 million buyout, forced a full pivot. Under CEO Jurgen Foré, the squad has stopped building for Grand Tour general classification and started rebuilding for the cobbled Classics, the terrain that defined the team for the better part of two decades under Patrick Lefevere.
The recruitment reflects that shift. Jasper Stuyven (ex-Lidl–Trek), a former Omloop winner, and Dylan van Baarle (ex-Visma–Lease a Bike), who won the race in 2023, headline a wave of Classics-specific signings. Behind the scenes, retired cobbles specialists Niki Terpstra, Sep Vanmarcke, and Tim Declercq have joined the coaching and directeur sportif staff.
The focal point on the road is Paul Magnier, the 21-year-old Frenchman who finished second at last year's Omloop and recently took two stage wins and the points jersey at the Volta ao Algarve. Magnier, who extended his contract through 2029, has embraced the team's direction, and the strategy at Omloop solidly rests on his shoulders.
Magnier will double-up at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, along with Stuyven and Van Baarle. "We’ll try to be in the finale with Paul, who’ll rely on a strong team to support him there”, said sports director Iljo Keisse.
Before Magnier's Algarve win, Soudal-QuickStep had gone 37 days without a victory, the longest winless start in the team's 23-year existence. It caused minor fluster amongst fans and commentators, especially in the team's period of unique post-Remco transition.
The Wolfpack's traditional strength, flooding finales with numbers, must now contend with riders like Wout van Aert (Visma–Lease a Bike) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Premier Tech), who can blow races apart with long range solo attacks through raw power alone.
Saturday will show whether the parts fit together under pressure.
