Johan Museeuw considers Patrick Lefevere a “cycling father”. The 59-year-old former rider speaks of “the end of an era”. “I often talked to him in recent years about when he was going to let it go. He’s done so much, all with that pressure. After his illness he continued to work hard. I advised him to anticipate, but I also know that he is or will be difficult to replace.”
“I worked perfectly with Patrick for years. He was a cycling father. I wanted to stop after Paris-Tours in 1996. He persuaded me and a few days later I became world champion. He could motivate riders and created a perfect group atmosphere. That typified Patrick Lefevere as a person. He was not always easy, but he did bring out the best in someone,” says Museeuw.