The longstanding partnership that has seen Soudal-QuickStep ride aboard Specialized bikes for the past two decades is reportedly set to end in 2027.
According to Daniel Benson's Cycling Substack, the team will switch to Merida Bikes, a brand that finds itself without a WorldTour team after its own agreement with Bahrain Victorious ended last season.
The move marks not only the end of a long-term connection between the American brand and the Belgian squad, but the end of its existing six-year agreement signed by Patrick Lefevre in 2021.
The partnership originally began with a 'bidding war' in 2006 when the team went under the guise of Quickstep-Innergetic.
In that first season together, Tom Boonen won the Tour de France green jersey aboard the team's Campagnolo-equipped Tarmac SL2 – complete with rim brakes, tubular tyres and a mechanical groupset.
The Belgian squad changed to Eddy Merckx Cycles equipment for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, but switched back to Specialized for the 2012 season, and that partnership has been maintained into 2026
In the years since, the two sides have worked together closely to further the successes of both parties. The team has had plenty of wins, with a Flanders-Roubaix double for Boonen in 2012; a dominant 2019 season in which Philip Gilbert won Paris-Roubaix and Julian Alaphilippe won Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo and spent 14 days in yellow at the Tour de France; and, of course, Remco Evenepoel's rise to dominance, including his Vuelta a España win in 2022.
Meanwhile, riders have provided key feedback to help the development of the Specialized product catalogue. For example, Kasper Asgreen, who won the Tour of Flanders for the team in 2021, was heavily involved in developing the Tarmac SL7, feeding back on early iterations and prototypes.
Meanwhile, Remco Evenepoel – whose 'aero bullet' nickname is in large part thanks to the countless hours spent in the Specialized 'Win Tunnel' wind tunnel – was a key contributor to the design of the TT5 aero helmet, the Tarmac SL8 bike, and likely the SL9 too, which is strongly rumoured to be launched this year.
The Belgian also has his own line of lightweight 'Torch Remco' shoes, which were designed to help his attempts at competing for the Tour de France.
In one of the biggest transfers in recent times, however, Evenepoel moved to fellow Specialized-sponsored team, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, at the end of the 2025 season.
In recent years, Specialized has somewhat transitioned its focus toward individual athletes rather than teams. When Peter Sagan moved from Bora-Hansgrohe to TotalEnergies in 2022, for example, Specialized followed. And then again, when Demi Vollering moved from Team SD Worx Protime to FDJ Suez in 2025.
Whether or not the brand will look to retain its sponsorship of two men's WorldTour teams, and thus step into another squad, remains to be seen.
Both Soudal-QuickStep and Specialized have been approached for comment by Cyclingnews. Soudal-QuickStep have declined to comment, while Specialized is yet to respond.
