Lefevere had many world-class riders in his team, but van der Poel is missing: "I would have loved to have him"

In addition to Boonen, Merlier, and Evenepoel, Lefevre has also worked with several Dutch riders. For example, Niki Terpstra won the Tour of Flanders in 2018 under Lefevere's leadership. The Belgian always enjoyed working with the Dutch riders. "I could see the honesty and directness I possess in the Dutch riders, and I liked that."

Terpstra, in particular, evokes a special feeling for the 70-year-old Belgian, as he explains in the podcast Speed on Wheels. "What I liked about the Dutch riders, especially Niki, is that if he was angry during a race and after showering, he would say: 'Guys, I'm sorry about that.' Belgians don't do that. They bottle it up and only let it out after three weeks."

But Van der Poel was the rider the former team boss of Soudal-Quick Step would have liked to have had on his team. "If I had to choose a Dutch rider, I would choose Van der Poel. His father, Adrie, rode with my team for another three years, but if it were up to me, Adrie would not have been the only Van der Poel to ride for the Belgian team."

"Adrie sometimes rode with VIPs at Rabobank, and we would run into each other," Lefevere continued. "I would always ask about David and Mathieu. David started racing at a certain point, but even then, Adrie said: 'That youngest one is ten years old, but he can already do everything on a bike. You'll be hearing more about him.'"

In the end, Van der Poel never changed teams, and according to Lefevere, Canyon played a major role in that. "I think the manufacturer pays the most to that team. They pay part of the riders' contracts. I don't like that because it gives them too much power over the riders. On the other hand, it does help, of course."

We are glad that the Belgian can still make these statements because last week, cycling fans all got a bit of a scare. Last Wednesday, Lefevere became unwell during dinner and was taken to the hospital in Ghent. The 70-year-old spent a night in the intensive care unit.

Fortunately, the next day, the good news quickly arrived: Lefevere was recovering. The various tests did not reveal any serious issues, and he was soon allowed to return home. This past weekend, he told Het Laatste Nieuws: "We are staying close to the Westvleteren brewery. Unfortunately, I don't drink beer; otherwise, I could have enjoyed a Trappist beer. Oh well, I guess I'll just watch the race tomorrow."