Two of Belgium’s leading sporting organisations come together for an evening of shared insight, connection, and collaboration.
Soudal Quick-Step & AG Insurance - Soudal and Club Brugge came together on Monday evening for Football Meets Cycling, a joint networking dinner held at the Shamrock Hotel in Tielt.
The event brought together partners, stakeholders, and guests and fans of both organisations, creating a platform to strengthen relationships, expand networks, and build a deeper understanding between two of Belgium’s most prominent sporting institutions and featured a series of guest speakers from both disciplines, offering a unique perspective on life at the highest level of elite sport.
From the cycling side, Shari Bossuyt and Fabio Van den Bossche shared their experiences from within the peloton, while Jorne Spileers and Lynnt Audoor represented Club Brugge, providing insight from a football player’s perspective. They were joined by senior figures from both organisations, including Soudal Quick-Step CEO Jurgen Foré, Club Brugge owner Bart Verhaeghe, Soudal Quick-Step Communications & Marketing Manager Alessandro Tegner, and Club Brugge Commercial Director Stijn Vermoere. Soudal Quick-Step head coach Koen Pelgrim was also joined by Club’s Sporting Director Maarten Dedobbeleer to give insight into how both teams increasingly use athlete data to plan when planning a path to reach their team’s goals.
More than just a dinner, Football Meets Cycling was designed to bring people together, not only from within each organisation, but across their wider partner ecosystems and creating space for conversation and exchange, the evening allowed both sides to broaden their networks and gain a better understanding of how each operates, on and off the field.
And the evening also carried a deeper purpose, with proceeds supporting the BIJS charity and the Club Brugge foundation. BIJS is a parent-led initiative creating a warm, long-term home for children with mental and/or physical disabilities. Founded by families seeking a better future for their children, the project reflects a deeply personal connection to the evening, with the charity run by the wife of Soudal Quick-Step Sports Director Tom Steels and supporting their daughter.
Club Brugge Foundation is the social arm of Club Brugge, built on the belief that football can make a real difference in people’s lives. Inspired by the club’s spirit of No Heart No Glory, the Foundation supports and develops initiatives that bring people together, with a focus on sports participation, inclusion, health, education, and equal opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of those in attendance, the event raised over thousands of Euros, for these two great causes.
It’s always valuable for us to step outside our own sport and connect with organisations that share the same ambition and drive.
“At the same time, evenings like this give us the chance to bring the team closer to an engaged audience — partners, guests, and fans who follow and support what we do. That connection is something we really value, and it’s important for us to stay close to it while continuing to build relationships like this for the future”, said Jurgen Foré.
For Club Brugge, the evening reflected the value of collaboration across different sporting environments, particularly within Belgium’s strong sporting landscape. “Football Meets Cycling is about bringing people together and creating opportunities”, said Stijn Vermoere. “When you connect two strong networks like this, you open the door to new ideas, partnerships, and a better understanding of how each organisation works. That’s where real value is created. We see this as the first step of a partnership where we can exchange values and work practises with another great Belgian sporting organisation.”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel