The lotto

The atmosphere around the Lotto-Soudal bus is fairly muted. Of course, it's the final breaths of the 2022, a pleasant week in the Veneto region of Italy ...

“The pandemic changed a lot of things for us. “We didn’t change philosophy, we were fighting for victory every year, still this year, we got 25 victories and we couldn’t complain.” So many, in fact, that the neo-pro has the sixth-most UCI points of all riders this season, with 2,268. But for us, it’s clear that with the team we have and with a good season that we’ve had this year the fact we are the first of the non-WorldTour guarantees us good participation in all the races next season. Young guys like Arnaud De Lie, Florian Vermeersch and Maxim Van Gils who are all succeeding, so this is what we want to continue in the future.” This fact means that for the soon-departing Lotto-Soudal boss John Lelangue, relegation is little more than a “change of logo.” “In the end, we have exactly the same programme possibilities next season as we’ve had this season, it was also the same for Alpecin-Deceuninck for the last three years. Both riders will then turn pro with the WorldTour team in 2024. For B&B Hotels, the likely arrival of Mark Cavendish should help them retain a coveted Tour de France wildcard. “I know that for us it won’t change anything,” Lelangue says. But when told it’s only the topic of relegation that’s up for discussion, the 51-year-old is placated, unfolding his arms and leaning in towards the dictaphone. The atmosphere around the Lotto-Soudal bus is fairly muted.