Last updated: May 14, 2026
This article covers the Soudal Quick-Step sponsor updates for 2026: Diamond ProTech and Costa Coffee join as new partners, Castelli extends for three more years, Transfer Solutions renews its data partnership, and Soudal commits to the team until 2030. It also addresses the reported end of the team’s near-20-year relationship with Specialized, with a switch to Merida confirmed for 2027.
The Wolfpack’s 2026 Sponsor Picture
Soudal Quick-Step — one of the most decorated teams in WorldTour history and known across the peloton as The Wolfpack — has had a busy sponsorship calendar in 2026. New partners have arrived, long-standing relationships have been extended, and one of the sport’s most iconic equipment partnerships appears to be ending. Taken together, the updates paint a clear picture of a team building stability at the top while quietly closing one chapter and opening another.
New Partners in 2026
Costa Coffee: Barista Quality on the Road
The broader trend of coffee brands entering professional cycling partnerships also continued at Soudal Quick-Step and AG Insurance-Soudal with the arrival of Costa Coffee as a partner in March 2026. The collaboration focuses on the constant mobility that defines life in pro cycling, with pod-based Costa machines installed across the teams’ fleet to provide riders and staff with consistent access to coffee throughout race days and travel.
CEO Jurgen Foré described the partnership as a practical fit for the realities of the sport: “Cycling is a sport lived constantly on the move. We travel between races, hotels, and training locations almost every day, so having reliable access to great coffee makes a real difference.”
CEO Jurgen Foré framed the fit plainly: “Cycling is a sport lived constantly on the move. We travel between races, hotels, and training locations almost every day, so having reliable access to great coffee makes a real difference.”
With the deal, another WorldTour team has added a dedicated coffee partner to its portfolio, following similar moves by Team Picnic PostNL and XDS Astana Team.
Diamond ProTech: Nanodiamond Coating for Bikes and Fleet
Also, Diamond ProTech, a Swiss specialist in advanced protective coatings, has become a new technical partner of Soudal Quick-Step and AG Insurance-Soudal. The company’s nanodiamond coating technology has been adapted for professional cycling to protect bikes, components and team vehicles against abrasion, corrosion, UV exposure and contamination.
The partnership extends across the teams’ entire operational setup, including bikes, cars, buses, trucks and support equipment.
Renewals and Extensions
Castelli: Three More Years and 150 Years of History
Castelli extended its partnership with Soudal Quick-Step for a further three years. The original deal ran from 2022, making this renewal a commitment that will take the relationship to eight years together. It is one of the longer-running apparel partnerships in the WorldTour.
Steve Smith, Global Brand Manager at Castelli, put the relationship in context: “The Wolfpack with Castelli has been a natural fit and this renewal will see us through to 8 years together, in our relentless drive for performance. I think any true cycling fan loves the way they race in a true Belgian style. It’s that shared passion for racing and performance that tie Castelli with Soudal Quick-Step.”
The renewal coincided with Castelli’s 150th anniversary, which the teams marked at the Giro d’Italia with a special commemorative kit in a ‘Vintage Cream’ colourway — a deliberate nod to the brand’s heritage, with heritage scorpion logos and wordmark variations tracing the arc of Castelli’s history across each garment.
Transfer Solutions: Data Partnership Extended
Update May 2026
In May 2026, Soudal Quick-Step confirmed the extension of its partnership with Transfer Solutions, a data integration and analytics specialist. The collaboration focuses on transforming complex information — from training and performance data to race strategy and recovery metrics — into actionable insights for riders, coaches and support staff.
Wim De Wolf, trainer at Soudal Quick-Step, welcomed the renewal: “Their expertise allows us to better understand and utilise the data we generate every day, helping us to continue evolving as a team.”
Jonathan van Vianen, Business Manager Data & AI at Transfer Solutions, added: “Within this collaboration, we are proud to deliver a robust and integrated data architecture in which multiple data sources, ranging from performance and training data to race information, come together.” The timing of the announcement — mid-Giro — underlined the day-to-day role Transfer Solutions plays in the team’s performance environment.
Soudal: Title Sponsorship Extended to 2030
Earlier in the year, title sponsor Soudal confirmed an extension of its partnership with the team until 2030. The original deal was signed in 2023. Since then, the team has claimed 143 victories across 25 countries. Dirk Coorevits, CEO of Soudal, described the extension as a reflection of genuine belief in the team’s direction: “Extending this partnership until 2030 reflects our belief in the team, its people and its long-term vision.”
The End of an Era: Specialized Out, Merida In for 2027
The biggest structural shift in Soudal Quick-Step’s sponsor picture is one that has not yet been officially confirmed — but is widely reported. According to multiple sources, the team’s near-20-year relationship with Specialized is ending after the 2026 season. Merida will supply bikes from 2027, covering both the men’s team and AG Insurance-Soudal, in a standard contract of three to four years.
The Specialized relationship dates back to 2007, with a break between 2010 and 2011. It is one of the most durable equipment partnerships in WorldTour history. The reported ending follows Remco Evenepoel’s departure to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe — also a Specialized team — after the 2025 season. Specialized has increasingly moved toward individual athlete partnerships rather than team deals, following riders like Peter Sagan and Demi Vollering when they changed teams.
Neither the team nor Specialized has officially confirmed the switch. Soudal Quick-Step declined to comment when approached by Cyclingnews. For now, the team continues racing on the Specialized Tarmac SL8 through the end of the current season.
What the 2026 Sponsor Mix Reveals
Across these updates, a few things stand out. The Castelli and Transfer Solutions renewals reflect a team that values operational continuity. The Diamond ProTech and Costa Coffee additions show a willingness to bring in partners at different levels — one highly technical, one lifestyle-oriented. The Soudal extension to 2030 provides rare long-term title sponsor stability. And the Specialized situation, whether or not confirmed, is a reminder that even the most established equipment partnerships in the sport are ultimately tied to rider profiles and commercial priorities — not just history.
Sources
https://cyclingflash.com/news/soudal-extends-partnership-with-soudal-quick-step-until-2030
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