@WTFK
According to the Dutch news outlet, Wielerflits, Amazon is rumored to be signing a co-sponsorship deal with Jumbo-Visma for €15 million.
The move wouldn’t be the first time Amazon and Jumbo-Visma have worked together, with the team featuring in the Amazon Prime series All-in Team Jumbo-Visma in 2022.
The series will continue for a second season based around the squad’s unprecedentedly successful 2023 campaign which saw them win all three Grand Tours.
Meanwhile, the much talked about potential merger of the Dutch squad with Soudal-QuickStep continues to percolate.
The Belgian team currently has over 20 riders and numerous staff members under contract for 2024, adding up to 52 riders contracted across both teams.
Iljo Keisse, director sportif of Soudal-QuickStep, says the team had little new information beyond an email sent by boss Patrick Lefevere on Monday. He said that he was confident that the veteran team manager would tell them all if he had any news.
“Everyone knows Patrick well enough. If he has something to say then he will say it,” Keisse said. “It wasn’t nice news for anybody – not riders or staff – when we read about the possible merger of our team with Jumbo-Visma.
“The email doesn’t answer all questions. As for myself, I think I do have a future. Other team leaders here are approaching retirement age so for them it’s a different story.”
Both Serry and Lampaert were confident in their futures, too. The two riders are among the list of men who are under contract, with both deals running through the 2025 season.
“Hopefully the contract will still be valid,” said Serry. “We’re at the end of September and it will be difficult if I have to look for a new team now. I’m not worried – Patrick always takes good care of his staff.”
Lampaert was philosophical on the situation, saying that he and the rest of the riders and staff would continue to do their jobs as normal regardless of the rumours and news stories.
“We are professional cyclists. We get paid for it and we do our job whatever happens,” he said. “Every rider knows that, sooner or later, there will come a time when he has to change teams or that their career ends.
“That shouldn’t be a reason to start racing for yourself – that doesn’t help your market value either. We’ll be better continue doing our job as best we can. There’s always a place in the WorldTour.”
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