Patrick Lefevere: 'I haven’t missed Twitter for a moment'
Outspoken Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl boss says he is ready for "war" in the classics with his team
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Patrick Lefevere has said that he hasn't missed Twitter "for a moment" as he gave an interview warning that his Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team is ready for "war" in the upcoming classics season.
The Belgian faced criticism last year over his comments during a one-sided war of words with Sam Bennett, and his rejection of investing in a women's team.
Earlier this year he said sometimes it would be better for him and everyone if he just "shut up", but quotes are often mistranslated by the non-Flemish speaking press and public, arguing that his comments are sometimes taken out of context and blown out of proportion.
In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Lefevere said: "I’m not going to do that anymore. Twitter, Facebook: I’ve stopped. I am only on Instagram, with 55,000 followers. But I haven’t missed Twitter for a moment.
"I won’t let losers with zero followers get to me. I’m not going to put any more energy into it, but whoever wants to can continue to hate me.”
Asked about the threat posed by Jumbo-Visma in the upcoming classics campaign, which starts with Opening Weekend in a fortnight, he said he was "without fear".
The Dutch team have strengthened their squad for the cobbled races over the winter, with Tiesj Benoot, Christophe Laporte and Tosh van der Sande joining. They will be added to the threat posed by Wout van Aert, who is potentially the outstanding favourite for multiple one-day races this spring.
Van Aert cut short his cyclocross season to focus on the road this year, and will be further aided by the returning Mike Teunissen, who missed all the spring classics in 2021.
“I am certainly not afraid of Jumbo-Visma," Lefevere argued. "I am Patrick without fear. We are ‘The Wolfpack,’ the rest should be afraid of us. And if they are not afraid, then maybe we will get support to control the course. And it is no longer up to us alone to break open the game.”
The Quick-Step boss was asked about Van Aert, who finished sixth at the Tour of Flanders last year. The Belgian champion might be the favourite, but has found himself out-thought at long one-day races like the World Championships and Paris-Roubaix.
“Yes, and on paper he is the fastest, so that is an advantage for Jumbo-Visma," Lefevere told Het Nieuwsbald. "Van Aert should not necessarily attack, he can send teammates forward. But will he be able to endure that in the Tour of Flanders? I ask the question, I don’t know the answer."
Quick-Step won Flanders and the E3 Saxo Bank Classic through Kasper Asgreen in 2021, and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad through Davide Ballerini. However, they face stiff competition from the likes of Jumbo-Visma, Alpecin-Fenix and Trek-Segafredo, and possibly even Ineos Grenadiers through Tom Pidcock.
“When I hear the competition, we shouldn’t even start anymore,” Lefevere said.
“But the race has yet to be run. We have seen the training values of Kasper Asgreen, he has become even stronger. He looks like an iron, but ask Mathieu van der Poel if he can sprint. In addition, we have Ballerini, Sénéchal, Stybar and Lampaert who are driving well. You can go to war with that.”
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Adam is Cycling Weekly’s senior news and feature writer – his greatest love is road racing but as long as he is cycling on tarmac, he's happy. Before joining Cycling Weekly he spent two years writing for Procycling, where he interviewed riders and wrote about racing, speaking to people as varied as Demi Vollering to Philippe Gilbert. Before cycling took over his professional life, he covered ecclesiastical matters at the world’s largest Anglican newspaper and politics at Business Insider. Don't ask how that is related to cycling.
-
-
Strength in numbers: How Jumbo-Visma and SD Worx have bossed the run-up to Tour of Flanders
The Dutch super-teams are dominating the Classics, making it look easy. With so many options, can they be stopped?
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Tailfin Top Tube Pack review - the all new range has been a resounding success
if you're fussy about details, this could one for you
By Stefan Abram • Published
-
End of an era: Soudal Quick-Step's pillow fights put to bed after ten years
The iconic Latexco photoshoots are set to end, so it was time to lie down and look back
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Remco Evenepoel transfer to Ineos Grenadiers is ‘too stupid for words’ says Patrick Lefevere
Lefevere revealed he has been laughing at speculation around the new world champion
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
'We can still learn so much from Aristotle': how history and philosophy has helped Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's Mikkel Honoré emerge as one of the peloton's strongest riders
There's far less Netflix binging and social media doomscrolling for this scholarly Dane
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Mark Cavendish loses green jersey and fined at Tour of Oman ahead of stage six
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl penalised by race jury for being pushed back to peloton by car
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Patrick Lefevere says Vuelta a España suits Evenepoel but doesn't want him given favourite status
The young Belgian abandoned the Giro d'Italia in 2021 after 18 stages
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Rémi Cavagna and Mauri Vansevenant require hospital treatment after accident at Deceuninck - Quick-Step training camp
The team have not divulged further details
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
'Despite common opinion, I have nothing against women’s cycling': Patrick Lefevere invests in women's cycling in 2022
The outspoken Deceuninck - Quick-Step boss had previously said he was unsure about investing in the women's side of the sport
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Patrick Lefevere reacts to Deceuninck joining Alpecin-Fenix: 'I have absolutely no problem with it'
Deceuninck and Quick-Step will end their partnership after three years together at the end of the year
By Ryan Dabbs • Published