The manager of the Belgian cycling team Soudal Quick-Step, Patrick Lefevere, has identified a potential successor who will commence in a role as Chief Operating Officer (COO), according to a report by Het Nieuwsblad. This revelation emerged during a dialogue between Lefevere and the CEO of Quick-Step, Ruben Desmet.
Desmet expressed to the Vlaamse publication the importance of ensuring a gradual transition, emphasising the desire to avoid an abrupt departure by Lefevere. He stressed the importance of having a succession plan involving someone who could progressively take on more responsibility, rather than someone who would be expected to jump from zero to a hundred instantly.
Lefevere acknowledged the challenge in finding a suitable successor, noting the critical nature of this decision compared to the occasional miss in annual rider transfers – a situation he accepts as part of managing thirty riders per season. In contrast, he highlighted that there is no margin for error when it comes to selecting his successor. It is not clear who the person chosen for the COO role is, but the implication is that they are not merely Lefevere’s right hand but an independent COO.
