Board

Zdenek Bakala

Zdenek Bakala is an investor and philanthropist. Zdenek began a career in investment banking with Drexel Burnham Lambert, Bank of America, and later, Credit Suisse First Boston. In the early 90’s he returned to his native Czechoslovakia to play a part in its emerging free-market economy.

He helped establish Credit Suisse First Boston’s Prague subsidiary and co-founded the Czech Republic’s first private investment bank, Patria Finance. He was also a co-founder of the Prague Stock Exchange.

Since then, he has invested in a range of sectors including natural resources, real estate, transport, publishing, gaming, and sports. Zdenek owns the Economia media house in Prague which publishes many award-winning independent newspapers and magazines.

He is also a passionate cyclist and the owner of Soudal–Quick-Step cycling team. Zdenek's philanthropy focuses on supporting and developing democratic society, education, and free media.

 

Auret van Zyl

Born in the rugby crazy South Africa, during childhood cycling was only a means of getting to school and earning pocket money by delivering newspapers. However, after playing many different sports, Auret discovered the world of road cycling as a law student at university. 

After moving to Europe in 2000, Auret worked as a corporate lawyer at Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) until 2005 when he ventured into the entrepreneurial world establishing his own M&A and corporate advisory business, TMA Partners, and co-founding / acquiring various travel businesses, which today form part of the Viadi Group. 

In 2010, Auret advised Zdenek on his investment into the team. As a passionate cyclist, Auret seized the opportunity to enter the world of professional cycling and has been supporting the team and various cycling projects in various roles ever since.

 

Jurgen Foré

Jurgen Foré is the man that has been tasked with leading Soudal Quick-Step forward into a new era, as he became the team’s new CEO in 2025. The name Foré is well-known within cycling circles. Jurgen is the son of the great Noël Foré, who won Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix and Gent-Wevelgem.

Jurgen himself was a successful rider in his younger days, but instead turned to business, working with several large, multinational corporations and running his own company, which culminated with him joining Deloitte as a partner. Even then Jurgen kept his passion for the sport of cycling, coaching young cyclists and working as a race regulator for Flanders Classics.

This background made him the perfect choice when our team were looking for a COO at the beginning of 2024, and now CEO, as of the start of 2025 – Soudal Quick-Step’s 23rd consecutive year in the pro peloton.

 

Patrick Lefevere

Back in 2003, he founded Soudal Quick-Step, combining his insight of the sport of cycling with a knowledge of economics and business that he picked up as an accountant, to build what was to become the most successful team in professional cycling. 
 
Born in Moorsdele in 1955, Patrick Lefevere was also a professional racer during the ‘70s and ‘80s. His best year was 1978, when among other races, he won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and stage 4 of the Vuelta a España. Since the ‘90s, his name has been closely connected to some legendary pages of cycling history. He’s been sports director and then manager for some of the greatest champions in modern cycling, Julian Alaphilippe, Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, Mark Cavendish, Tony Martin, Johan Museeuw, and last but not least, Remco Evenepoel.
 
More than just the eye-catching results, Lefevere fostered a family feel and loyalty base within the team, which is almost unique within a sport of such a transient nature. The team earned the moniker of ‘The Wolfpack’ as they are famed for its team spirit and willing to race as a collective, who were prepared to go into battle for each other. The atmosphere within the team is demonstrated when examining the team’s staff list, many of whom have been loyal to the team since the very early days of its existence.
 
At the end of 2024, after a glistening career and a remarkable slew of victories as sports director and manager, Patrick Lefevere retired as CEO of Soudal Quick-Step and became an honorary member of the team’s executive board.