\nEnd of an era at Quick-Step: Specialized out, Merida in
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![\"Quick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/GettyImages-2300808819.jpg\"\/)
Merlier gave his Specialized a loving tap when he won Quick-Step\u2019s last race on the brand. (Photo: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\nUpdated November 2, 2026 03:14AM<\/p>\n
Close to a quarter of the Tour de France peloton could be enjoying a \u201cnew bike day\u201d this off-season.<\/p>\n
One of the most significant shake-ups in the bike sponsorship landscape in years is underway.<\/p>\n
Soudal Quick-Step has split with Specialized after an era that spanned 18 years and more than 800 victories.<\/p>\n
Bahrain-Victorious has blown off Bianchi after just one year of a multi-year deal. The historic brand and its iconic celeste colorway is out of the WorldTour.<\/p>\n
TotalEnergies is disrupting the narrative by betting on Pardus in a landmark three-year deal. The hitherto unknown brand will become the second Chinese bike supplier to bust into the Western-centric sport.<\/p>\n
And there could be more to come before the peloton rolls out for 2027.<\/p>\n
The financial crisis at Accell Group \u2013 the parent company of Lapierre bikes \u2013 has forced the embattled Picnic-PostNL team to chase a new equipment partner. And while rumors that NSN Cycling Team might ditch Scott are fading, they haven\u2019t died out altogether.<\/p>\n
The men\u2019s peloton hasn\u2019t seen a tech shake-up this consequential in some time.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what it all means.<\/p>\n
TeamOutInSoudal Quick-StepSpecializedMeridaBahrain-VictoriousBianchiFactorTeam TotalEnergiesCubePardusNSN Cycling Team (rumored)Scott (?)Cube (?)Picnic-PostNLLapierreTBD
\nEnd of an era at Quick-Step: Specialized out, Merida in
\nMerlier gave his Specialized a loving tap when he won Quick-Step\u2019s last race on the brand. (Photo: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Long-time cycling fans felt a tug at the heartstrings last month when the long, happy marriage between Quick-Step and Specialized came to an end.<\/p>\n
Specialized powered \u201cThe Wolfpack\u201d to more than 800 wins over 18 years<\/a> of loving matrimony. Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen, Remco Evenepoel, and Tim Merlier all contributed blockbuster victories to what was one of the most iconic, prolific partnerships in pro cycling.<\/p>\n Quick-Step put the Tarmac, Venge, and Shiv into lede photos for decades.<\/p>\n But not anymore.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear why the team and brand didn\u2019t renew their seemingly eternal deal.<\/p>\n However, Specialized is no doubt getting plenty of bang for its marketing buck elsewhere. The manufacturing giant boasts a spectacular partnership portfolio that includes Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, FDJ United-Suez, SD Worx Protime, and the Specialized Factory Racing team.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Quick-Step team will rebrand as Soudal Safety Jogger next year and ride Merida bikes.<\/p>\n The Taiwanese brand returns to the peloton after a one-year absence.<\/p>\n The long-running Belgian mob will be almost unrecognizable.<\/p>\n And speaking of Merida, that brings us neatly on to\u2026.<\/p>\n Bianchi booted from men\u2019s WorldTour: Bahrain to Factor Bahrain-Victorious dropped a bombshell last week<\/a> when it split from Bianchi<\/a> after one year of a multi-season deal and saddled up with Factor Bikes.<\/a><\/p>\n Factor will be the Bahraini team\u2019s third bike partner in three years. You gotta feel for the team mechanics.<\/p>\n Bahrain-Victorious traded Merida for a \u201cmulti-year deal\u201d with Bianchi at the start of 2026 in what the brand labeled a \u201cnew chapter for our legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n One abbreviated chapter later, Bianchi is out of the men\u2019s WorldTour for the first time since 2022.<\/p>\n Bahrain-Victorious did not explain the cause of the early contract termination when it dropped the mic and dropped the bikes last week.<\/p>\n However, the team suffered its worst season since 2020 in its one season atop the black-and-celeste Oltres. That\u2019s not a good look for Bianchi after riders at Ark\u00e9a-Samsic blasted the bikes\u2019 build quality during their partnership at the start of this decade.<\/p>\n Bianchi\u2019s loss is Factor\u2019s gain.<\/p>\n The UK brand gave up its foothold<\/a> at the top of the men\u2019s peloton at the end of 2025 when it stepped away from its deal with the controversy-roiled Israel-Premier Tech team.<\/p>\n One year later, it\u2019s back, and continuing to build a low-key but significant stake in pro cycling. Factor also works with U.S. teams Modern Adventure and Human Powered Health, as well as the French pro team Ma Petite Enterprise.<\/p>\n TotalEnergies brings more Chinese carbon to pro cycling: Pardus in, Cube out Pardus will become the second Chinese bike brand in the upper echelon of men\u2019s pro cycling in 2027.<\/p>\n TotalEnergies confirmed last month that it will ride the Shandong brand\u2019s SPK Evo, Robin Evo, and Gomera Evo bikes in 2027. The Journeymen French team previously rode Cube bikes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an intriguing move by TotalEnergies, and one that follows the precedent set by XDS-Astana.<\/p>\n The Kazakh team blew the doors off the conventional, conservative narrative at the start of 2025 when it took co-title sponsorship and countless X-LAB bikes from the then-unknown Chinese brand,<\/a>\u00a0XDS.<\/p>\n Two seasons later, XDS-Astana is farming victories on top of some of the most desirable superbikes<\/a> on the market.<\/p>\n Pardus bikes has partnered the Chinese national team for years, but they\u2019re almost totally new to both the Western peloton and Western consumers.<\/p>\n Until now, the Italian pro team, Solution Tech-Vini Fantini, is the only European team to have raced them, and retail sales to Europe only began this summer.<\/p>\n Velo understands that a move into the U.S. market is in the works.<\/p>\n Parus GM Terry Gong said partnering with TotalEnergies is a key moment for the brand<\/a> as it targets global expansion.<\/p>\n The long-running French team doesn\u2019t race in the WorldTour. However, its historical status and French identity almost guarantees it wildcard invites to the Tour de France and monument classics.<\/p>\n \u201cAs part of the development of Pardus on the European market, we are particularly proud to partner with TotalEnergies,\u201d Gong said. \u201cHistory, values and territorial anchorage occupy an essential place in our vision, and we are excited to join a structure that has been contributing to the influence of professional cycling for many years.\u201d<\/p>\n Gong added that the three-year deal with TotalEnergies will \u201csustainably strengthen Pardus\u2019 presence at the heart of European cycling culture.\u201d<\/p>\n XDS and X-LAB broke into world consciousness when it partnered with Astana in 2025.<\/p>\n Pardus could be the next Chinese brand to break the Western market.<\/p>\n To be confirmed: Picnic-PostNL leaving Lapierre and NSN leaving Scott?<\/p>\n Picnic-PostNL is scrambling to secure a new bike partner for 2027 after Accell \u2013 the parent company of Lapierre and Raleigh \u2013 entered insolvency.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Bahrain-Victorious](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/GettyImages-2286443058-1200x800.jpg\"\/)
Bahrain-Victorious ended its deal with Bianchi after one year of a multi-season agreement. (Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT \/ AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/SPKG4-white-black-e1793610907155-1200x814.png\"\/)
The Pardus SPKG4 EVO aero bike was developed in partnership with the Chinese national team. (Photo: Pardus)<\/p>\n