Filling the Evenepoel void, or finding a new direction? Analysing Soudal-QuickStep's rider recruitment for 2026

ATHERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 05: Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, Casper Pedersen of Denmark, Luke Lamperti of The United States, Ethan Hayter of Great Britain, Martin Svrcek of Slovakia, Ilan Van Wilder of Belgium and Team Soudal Quick-Step prior to the 21st Tour of Britain 2025, Stage 4 a 186.9km stage from Atherstone to Burton Dassett on September 05, 2025 in Atherstone, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images).

This year's cycling transfer market has been defined by a few big storylines, and one of those was Remco Evenepoel's departure from Soudal-Quickstep to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.

Over the summer, and even before then, a lot was made about where Evenepoel might go, what team could best fulfil his needs, and – once the deal was made – if and how Red Bull can help him achieve his ultimate goal of winning the Tour de France.