Teams & Riders Inter Lotto Marché

[Samamba]

No Van De Wynckele ? wasn't he a neo prof ?

Why would being a neo pro matter?

Van de Wynkele is probably the worst rider of both teams combined. Only reason he went pro is cause Lotto didn't have money to spent last year.

 

[Berniece]

like 14(Lotto) and 16.5 (Intermarché).

Damn, that’s barely an improvement for all this hassle… I know 30M wasn’t realistic, but they are still well off from the average (28M)

 

[Samamba]

Damn, that’s barely an improvement for all this hassle… I know 30M wasn’t realistic, but they are still well off from the average (28M)

I mean Intermarché is an improvement compared to just folding. For Lotto no cause they could've just gottten a 20M budget without all this drama. It's ridiculous.

 

[Squire]

Why would being a neo pro matter?

Having a two-year contract.

But I guess some other departures had a contract for 2026 as well.

 

[Lexman]

Why would being a neo pro matter?

Van de Wynkele is probably the worst rider of both teams combined. Only reason he went pro is cause Lotto didn't have money to spent last year.

a mandatory 2 year contract?

 

[Samamba]

a mandatory 2 year contract?

So the same as every other rider with a contract for 2026? It's not cause someone is on a neopro contract that you can't "fire" them and pay them out.

 

[search]

is NIPPO still on board to fill the remaining spots with Japanese riders?

 

[Samamba]

is NIPPO still on board to fill the remaining spots with Japanese riders?

I think this whole possibly (not officially) linked Pro Team might have something to do with Nippo. No inside info but a hunch. I've heard Nippo was very mad about the merger thing, cause they weren't informed and had a 3 year contract with them. It also seems that there will only be one actual devo team (I heard a few Lotto and Intermarché u23 riders saying they couldn't stay because of it) so no spots for Japanese riders I would think.

But Bourlart and some others did go all the way to Japan 2 weeks ago, mid merger drama, so it seemed important. Maybe there's an agreement about something.

But yeah again, just a guess.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

If he hadn't already done that once, you could easily see Vaughters swoop in and steal Nippo from under their noses.

 

[Samamba]

If he hadn't already done that once, you could easily see Vaughters swoop in and steal Nippo from under their noses.

I also saw a rumor about Nippo replacing solution tech

 

[Samamba]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/im-almost-quite-sure-i-will-not-stay-biniam-girmay-unlikely-to-stay-at-lotto-intermarche-as-squad-announcement-looms/

“Obviously, it's not the right time to speak because we don't decide personally. Of course, the merger is already happening, and tomorrow they will announce the guys who will personally stay.

"Before, I was 50-50 if I stay or not; now I'm almost quite sure I will not stay."

Cyclingnews understands that Girmay's name will be on the merged roster, but as the rider makes clear, there is still a chance that he might ride elsewhere in 2026.

"We are still talking with some good teams, but it's just talk because I cannot do anything without knowing what my team [are doing] and also without knowing if I am free or not. Nothing is done yet, nothing is on paper."

Last month, the UCI confirmed that Lotto, but not Intermarché, registered for 2026 WorldTour status and as such, riders from the teams that had failed to initially register for 2026 'may terminate their contracts early'.

This looked to open the door for the Eritrean to move on. However, Cyclingnews was subsequently told that the UCI has somehow used its regulations to 'block' Girmay from terminating his contract as the 2026 registration process is completed and the final 30-rider roster is confirmed.

Asked whether the complications of the merger influenced his decision to look elsewhere, Girmay said: "In the last two years, we improved so much and we’ve already shown we’re capable of winning the big races. This year it's really pissed [?] me off because we've lost the money, we don't have that much budget to buy riders, and to keep the good guys we [already] have, so it's not the best year because of this kind of situation."

The Eritrean added that the plan shared with him by the merged squad "is only on paper and we don't know the exact reality," something that makes the sprinter "think twice" about his future.

Such a weird situation, but according to Girmay the team will announce a 30 man roster (the one they sent to the UCI in the application probably) soon, with riders on it that still want to leave (and the merged team wants money for).

 

[Samamba]

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So no Bonneu as I feared, bit weird, but at least the 30th rider is Thompson and thus a climber. I'm assuming Van Eetvelt pressed for it, same with Veistroffer (but then De Lie) being there in the end while both were told at first they wouldn't have a spot.

Devo is pretty strong too. Marivoet is an interesting newcomer. Wasted 2 years of his development years being blinded by UAE. Also 2 guys from the REV academy, with De Keersmaeker (junior Belgian champ) and Verbeeck (junior) KBK winner and Witse Bertels (big talent on the track). And of course some good talents (mainly Dolven, Claisse and Solen) from the Intermarché pyramid.

 

[Berniece]

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Any idea when they have their calendar announcements? Would like to know what Widar and Van Eetvelt are riding

 

[Samamba]

Any idea when they have their calendar announcements? Would like to know what Widar and Van Eetvelt are riding

Wont be official before their team presentation in January. But I'm assuming we'll see some things being said in the press earlier. I can probably ask about Van Eetvelt myself after this training camp). Widar's outlines are known (Strade, Itzulia, classics, Suisse, Vuelta).

 

[RedheadDane]

So, in France, Poland, and Portugal, they're gonna be called Intermarché-Lotto, and wear different kits.
Stage 3 of the Tour could be interesting.





(They're probably just gonna have a special TdF kit.)

 

[search]

NIPPO is now confirmed to still sponsor the team, as already expected with Imamura staying on board. He hopes for more opportunities to ride for the WT team next year, which will also have a Japanese mechanic.

https://teamnippo.jp/?p=86475