Will Quick-Step take over the Tormans team with Hermans, Bäckstedt? Team boss responds

Tormans cyclocross team boss Maxime Segers insists that his team isn’t going anywhere, despite Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere’s recently expressed interest in acquiring the Belgian-based ‘cross team that’s home to Quinten Hermans, Corné van Kessel, U23 world champ Joran Wyseure, and junior women’s cyclocross world champion Zoe Bäckstedt.

“We started a cyclocross team in January 2020, with Tormans as sponsor,” Segers told Wielerflits. “We will continue with that project in any case. A number of riders are still under contract until the end of 2022, others until the end of February 2023. The intention is to talk to them about a possible extension in the coming period.”

Reports link Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl to the Tormans cyclocross team for 2023.

Earlier reports also indicated that Hermans might leave Tormans at the conclusion of 2022.

Segers said he’s interested in finding a new sponsor and keeping the up-and-coming ‘cross stars.

“We believe that Quinten Hermans, for example, can develop further with us,” Segers said. “The same goes for the others, such as Jonas Wyseure or Emiel Verstrynge. In addition, negotiations are underway with sponsors – current and potential new ones – to see what the future looks like on a commercial level.”

While a new title sponsor is being sought, a development squad and women’s team are also options being explored, Wielerflits reported.

“We have now understood that Tormans is leaving,” Seger said. “But the departure of a sponsor does not affect our existing structure. We may not have the budgets of the large WorldTour teams, but we are already achieving something from our training.”

“Who would have thought in September that we would now have both the Belgian and the U23 world champions in our ranks?”