Deceuninck-QuickStep boss Patrick Lefebvre has dispelled fears that team budgets could decline by 30% in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and offered his latest forecast for pro cycling's economic future.

Earlier this week, Belgian economist Wim Lagae warned that riders' salaries could fall by a third, citing an expected contraction in sports marketing budgets.

Lefebvre dismissed the prospect of financial difficulties for cycling as a whole, saying that the sport's economic model is not a good one, but has nevertheless grown

. Frankly, I don't think there is any need to be so hasty," he wrote in Het Nieuwsblad.

"The professor in question always wears his darkest glasses when looking at cycling. Our marketing model is no good, but we've known that for 50 years. For those 50 years, cycling continued to exist and wages continued to rise. Please allow me to tolerate this disaster as well."

Lefebvre said that in a post-COVID-19 world, riders at the top of the money tree would not suffer as much, adding that it would be the low-income earners who would lose out on the next contract.

"The riders at the top of the pecking order won't have to worry as much. The top four on the team will not eat less sandwiches. If the budget is reduced, the riders in positions 10 through 30 will pay the price. But a 30% decrease is not a good idea. ...... Grupama-FDJ extended the contracts of Stephane Kühn, Thibaut Pinot, and David Gaudou this week, and that is not a small price to pay.

Detunink-Quickstep has already confirmed that its title sponsor will honor its original three-year contract, so there are no major changes for the 2021 season. Only four riders have contracts up for renewal in the winter, and Lefebvre will keep them all on board.

"In our case, salaries will not go down significantly. This is because only Yves Lampert, Bob Jungels, Dries Devenance, and Iljo Keisse will have their contracts expire. I say, "I never change a winning team."

"Caisse and Devenance will be able to renew their contracts for one year on the same terms. Next week I will talk to Iljo, who is old and without an agent. Yves and I have already been in contact this week, and for the time being we will only talk informally with Bob. They want to stay and we want to keep them."

Lefebvre said the riders are keen to secure their next contract during this uncertain time, as Rider's agent Yannick Prévost said earlier this week. The veteran team boss added that he was interested in signing AG2R La Mondiale's Orvier Naessen, but he quickly moved to stay with the French team.

"Usually my motto when I go into contract negotiations is to perform first and then sign. Now it's difficult because there are no races. Many riders want to be sure, more than usual. Among Flemish riders, it's like a disease," Lefebvre wrote.

"Oliver Naessen also suffered this year. Oliver Naessen also suffered from it this year. Soon after, he thought, 'Maybe this place isn't so bad after all,' and immediately signed a three-year contract. We were interested. It wasn't concrete, but he didn't want to wait at all.

Young talent Mauri Vansevenan, son of former professional player Wim and winner of the 2019 Giro della Valle d'Aosta, should be Dečunink Quickstep's only new addition in July. Meanwhile, the rider agents will be negotiating further down the road, Lefebvre says. But he stands his ground and refuses to talk about riders who still have years left on their contracts.

"With four riders' contracts expiring and Mauri Vansevenin joining, it should be a settled market for us. But it does not mean that they will leave us alone, as our agents have also lost money in recent months.

"If teams save money on players' wages because of COVID-19, their share will be reduced, which means if we can't talk about 2021, then they want to talk about 2022. We're not talking about riders whose contracts haven't expired, and COVID-19 won't change that."