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> "I still haven't received clarity from my team whether I will be allowed to stay in 2026. So, it seemed like a good idea to market myself during the Giro," De Bondt told WielerFlits, explaining that he told fellow Belgian, EF Education-EasyPost coach Ken Vanmarcke, during the race, "If you're looking for riders for 2026, I'm still on the market."
> De Bondt said he alerted several teams to his availability during the race, while Vanmarcke came back to him with a proposition ahead of stage 20. Not for a contract, but for a deal of sorts.
> "Before the team presentation of stage 20, Vanmarcke said to me, 'Are you planning anything today?'" De Bondt said.
> "'It's going to be very difficult for us to send riders into the early breakaway. But look, if you're in there and you can play a role somewhere that's important in the final result, something serious can come from that.' That's what inspired me to do what I did for Carapaz.