Soudal Quick-Step and AG Insurance–Soudal will race on Merida bicycles from 2027, ending their long association with Specialized as part of a comprehensive overhaul of both teams’ equipment suppliers. The four-year agreement runs through 2030, with an option to extend, and brings several other changes covering wheels, tyres, saddles, helmets and footwear.
The new arrangements will apply to both the men’s WorldTour squad, which becomes Soudal Safety Jogger next season, and the AG Insurance–Soudal Women’s WorldTour team. Shimano and clothing supplier Castelli will remain, but Continental, Prologo, Sidi, Lazer and Wolf Performance are joining a substantially revised technical programme.
The switch follows more than a year of evaluation led by head of technical development Nicolas Coosemans and coach Koen Pelgrim. Equipment was assessed through wind-tunnel testing and on-road trials, with the teams looking at individual products and how they work together as a complete racing package.
For Merida, the partnership marks a return to the top level of men’s WorldTour racing following its previous involvement with Bahrain Victorious. For the Belgian organisation, it represents one of the most substantial equipment changes in its recent history.
Merida replaces Specialized after almost two decades
Specialized has been associated with the men’s Quick-Step organisation since 2006, apart from a brief interruption in 2010 and 2011. The partnership became closely identified with the team’s success in the Spring Classics, particularly through riders such as Tom Boonen and Julian Alaphilippe.
It also expanded into the women’s programme as AG Insurance–Soudal developed into a Women’s WorldTour operation. Specialized supplied much of the teams’ equipment, including bicycles, Roval wheels and other components.
Replacing that arrangement involves considerably more than introducing a different frame manufacturer.
Merida, established in Taiwan in 1972, brings extensive manufacturing experience alongside a research and development operation in Germany. The company has previously supplied bicycles to major professional teams and has continued developing its aero and lightweight road platforms.
The Belgian teams specifically referenced the latest REACTO and TIME-WARP models in their announcement. The REACTO is Merida’s aerodynamic road platform, while the TIME-WARP is designed for time trials.
The exact specifications to be used across the 2027 racing calendar have not yet been fully detailed. Nevertheless, the four-year agreement gives Merida and the teams an extended period to develop frames and complete bicycle setups around the demands of WorldTour racing.
That collaboration will also involve a multiyear testing arrangement with the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub, adding specialist aerodynamic expertise to the programme.
Shimano stays but replaces Roval as wheel supplier
One of the most interesting elements of the announcement is the expanded role of Shimano.
Both squads will continue using Dura-Ace drivetrains and pedals, maintaining a familiar component platform despite the switch to Merida frames.
However, Shimano will also become the wheel supplier, bringing its latest Dura-Ace C36, C50, C60 and C99 wheelsets, alongside disc wheels for time trials.
That represents a significant departure from the Roval equipment supplied through Specialized.
The teams will have different rim depths available for different courses. Shallower wheels provide options for climbing and demanding terrain, while deeper aerodynamic profiles are more appropriate for fast road racing and time trials, depending on wind conditions and rider preferences.
The addition of the C99 is particularly notable as teams continue exploring the relationship between aerodynamic efficiency, handling and wheel choice.
The expanded Shimano partnership also means that the groupsets and wheels will come from the same manufacturer, although the complete bicycles will incorporate products from several different suppliers.
Continental, Prologo, Sidi and Lazer join the programme
Continental will replace Specialized as the tyre supplier, introducing another major change to the teams’ racing equipment.
Tyres have become an increasingly important area of performance development, with teams paying close attention to rolling resistance, puncture protection, grip and the interaction between tyres and aerodynamic rims.
Continental already has extensive WorldTour experience, and its involvement in the Belgian teams’ testing programme suggests tyre selection has been considered alongside wheel and frame development rather than as a separate decision.
Italian manufacturer Prologo will supply saddles, while Sidi becomes the teams’ footwear partner.
Both changes will require attention to individual rider preferences and fit. Riders often develop strong preferences for saddle shapes and footwear, and any change must be evaluated for comfort and consistency as well as aerodynamic performance.
Lazer will provide helmets, another notable change after years of racing with Specialized equipment.
Helmet choice has become an important element of aerodynamics, particularly in time trials. The teams confirmed that Lazer has already participated in their testing work, allowing different helmet designs to be evaluated alongside riding positions and the rest of the equipment.
Completing the new supplier arrangements is Wolf Performance, which will work on bike fitting and rider positioning.
Its involvement underlines the importance the teams place on optimising the complete rider-and-bicycle combination rather than judging individual products in isolation.
Both men’s and women’s WorldTour teams will use the new equipment
The agreement covers Soudal Safety Jogger and AG Insurance–Soudal, ensuring both teams have access to the same group of technical partners.
That is particularly important for the women’s squad, which has developed its equipment arrangements alongside the men’s organisation.
ProCyclingUK’s 2026 Women’s WorldTour equipment guide recorded AG Insurance–Soudal using Specialized frames, Roval wheels, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets and Castelli clothing.
From 2027, that combination will change substantially.
Merida frames, Shimano wheels and Continental tyres will replace much of the previous Specialized equipment, while the addition of Prologo, Sidi and Lazer creates further changes for the riders.
Having a common technical programme should also allow the two teams to share testing information and development work.
Although the demands of men’s and women’s racing are not identical, information collected on aerodynamics, bike fit and equipment performance can be valuable across both programmes.
The teams have emphasised that riders and performance staff will remain involved in product development throughout the partnership.
Jurgen Foré says equipment project took more than a year
Team CEO Jurgen Foré explained that the new arrangements were the result of a lengthy assessment process rather than a straightforward sponsorship negotiation.
He said the organisation had spent more than a year examining how changes in technical partners could affect performance.
The teams evaluated equipment under controlled conditions, including wind-tunnel testing, but also wanted to establish how products performed in racing and training.
Foré said the appeal of the new agreements extended beyond the equipment itself, with the technical knowledge of each partner expected to contribute to future development.
That approach will be particularly relevant during the transition between suppliers.
Switching frame manufacturers can require changes to rider positions, component choices and maintenance procedures. For riders accustomed to particular equipment, the winter training period will provide an opportunity to evaluate the new bicycles before the 2027 racing season begins.
The team’s performance staff will also need to ensure that the new arrangements work across different race conditions, from the cobbled Classics to mountain stages and time trials.
A new name and new equipment for 2027
The changes arrive alongside a broader transformation of the men’s organisation.
Safety Jogger will become co-title sponsor in 2027, with the team changing its name from Soudal Quick-Step to Soudal Safety Jogger.
Quick-Step will remain involved as a sponsor, with its agreement continuing through 2030, but the change brings a new identity to a team that has raced under the Quick-Step name for much of the past two decades.
The equipment announcement means that transformation will extend well beyond the jersey.
Both Soudal Safety Jogger and AG Insurance–Soudal will enter 2027 with new bicycles, wheels, tyres and several other components, while retaining Shimano’s drivetrain technology and Castelli clothing.
The next stage will be seeing how the equipment performs in competition.
Merida brings established WorldTour experience and an extensive research operation, but the switch will still require riders and mechanics to adapt to a significantly different technical package.
For a team whose identity has been closely connected with Specialized for almost 20 years, the first appearance of Merida bicycles in Soudal colours will be one of the most noticeable equipment changes of the 2027 season.
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Photo Credit: Gaetan Flamme -
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