Teams & Riders Lotto Cycling Team

[Samamba]

It seemed to be less political back in the Omega-Pharma days? Hard to imagine a different sponsor as the first name now or an Aussie GC leader in the Tour.

It was, and it might sound weird for the outside (definitely non-Belgians), but that period is exactly why they don't really want that anymore. Back then they had the money, but the attention (in Belgium) was all on Omega Pharma, and especially their owner Marc Coucke. The results were great, but the Lottery did not like Coucke's attention antics at all. And while I understand the aversion towards someone like Coucke (it was over the top), I think they made the wrong conclusion out of it. Not every big sponsor is like him, most of them are silent and don't take all the attention. Definitely not from a team that's been known as the Lotto team for 40 years. If the Lottery just accepted being the owner, but second sponsor this team would've been called Soudal-Lotto or Lidl - Lotto (yes this was a possibility) and they would've had a 25M+ budget by now probably. And sure maybe outside of Belgium people would've started calling the team Soudal or Lidl after a while, in Belgium (where it matters for them) people would still call it Lotto just like they still call Soudal-QS Quick Step.

Anyways, I hope they still change their mentality or find a big sponsor dumb enough to spend a lot of money for being the 2nd name sponsor (Carrefour was about to do it last season, I don't know what went wrong), but right now I'm not really positive. They kinda got bailed out by their devo team and an insanely talented generation, and they it was great the way they were growing the team alongside them, but they've throwing away all the positive steps lately. Sad to see. I have a feeling they might think this development team style WT or top Pro Team is a good spot for them, but I don't think thats realistic at all cause in the end less Belgian talents will choose for their project (that's already happening). I think it's just a coping mechanism to make riders leaving sound better.

 

[Netserk]

I can imagine that it back in 2012 was more desirable to be just Lotto as they were much better than the third best Belgian team then. But with Alpecin now being the second best and Intermarché with as good a claim for third best, the competition is much fiercer for Belgian talents and sponsors.

 

[Berniece]

If the Lottery just accepted being the owner, but second sponsor this team would've been called Soudal-Lotto or Lidl - Lotto (yes this was a possibility) and they would've had a 25M+ budget by now probably. And sure maybe outside of Belgium people would've started calling the team Soudal or Lidl after a while, in Belgium (where it matters for them) people would still call it Lotto just like they still call Soudal-QS Quick Step.

That's the weird part because everyone in Belgium knows Lotto. I really wonder why they find that to be so important, and can't let it go. Not to mention they will always be connected to the team, since they have been sponsor for 40 years? Some people need to be stop being so vain.

 

[Samamba]

That's the weird part because everyone in Belgium knows Lotto. I really wonder why they find that to be so important, and can't let it go. Not to mention they will always be connected to the team, since they have been sponsor for 40 years? Some people need to be stop being so vain.

Mix of like I said the "bad" experience with Coucke, ego ("it's our team") and the fact that a main sponsor obviously wants to have some "power" and more than a seat at the table and what they want isn't always compatible with what Lotto wants (politically then). It's complicated. I would love to see them go in the direction FDJ went but yeah I don't count on it.

 

[pastronef]

Mix of like I said the "bad" experience with Coucke, ego ("it's our team") and the fact that a main sponsor obviously wants to have some "power" and more than a seat at the table and what they want isn't always compatible with what Lotto wants (politically then). It's complicated. I would love to see them go in the direction FDJ went but yeah I don't count on it.

what i also disliked was them ending the Ridley deal before its term and jump with Orbea

 

[Samamba]

what i also disliked was them ending the Ridley deal before its term and jump with Orbea

Contract with Ridley was just awfully bad. Ridley completely finessed Lotto there (used Covid as a way to pay less while bike manufacturers were never hit by covid). Orbea was needed for the money, big difference. Also Ridley wasn't developing properly, they woke after Lotto dropped them. Good for UNO X.

 

[Samamba]

Some positive team news from the infirmerie mid horrible result after horrible result (let's just pretend they didn't participate in any races the last week).

Berckmoes' severe concussion seems to be in the past, he will be training at 100% again from tomorrow onwards.
Orins is finally riding (properly) again. Not race ready yet but there's some light at the end of the tunnel.
Slock also back riding outside, but he needs to build up very slowly.
Also Taminiaux has been training fully again for some time already, he should be racing soon again.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Nieuwsblad confirmed Stuyven QS and the fact that Lotto is a dead team.

Copied this from the transfer thread. What does this mean? Is 2025 Lottos last season??

 

[Samamba]

Copied this from the transfer thread. What does this mean? Is 2025 Lottos last season??

Just still no sponsor and sign of one coming soon so they can't offer anything to riders. Again some strong riders leaving. If the UCI even gives them their WT license, they will be the worst team the WT has ever seen. They are a living corpse. So not folding yet, but anything can happen the coming months, I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to just give up and downsize significantly soon.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

It's sad to see an institution like Lotto sink into obscurity...
But alas that is to be expected when something is run by Jannie Haek
Between '05 and '3 he absolutely butchered the belgian rail system and as a thank you he got to be head of the lottery...
I know demented wooly mammoths who would be better suited to run a company

 

[pastronef]

It's sad to see an institution like Lotto sink into obscurity...
But alas that is to be expected when something is run by Jannie Haek
Between '05 and '3 he absolutely butchered the belgian rail system and as a thank you he got to be head of the lottery...
I know demented wooly mammoths who would be better suited to run a company

so will Lotto get its (deserved) WT license 2026-28 but with a very low budget?

 

[Berniece]

They are a living corpse. So not folding yet, but anything can happen the coming months, I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to just give up and downsize significantly soon.

I hope they are smart enough to have multiple paths to take. From finding new sponsors to downscaling or maybe even merging with another team.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

I hope they are smart enough to have multiple paths to take. From finding new sponsors to downscaling or maybe even merging with another team.

The merging option is unlikely, because of Lotto being a government institution they want to call the shots 100% of the time. Which other team or team-structure will allow that

 

[Netserk]

Wout van Aert verliest Tiesj Benoot aan AG2R, maar ook superknecht van Mathieu van der Poel zoekt volgend jaar andere oorden op

De Giro-renners maken deze middag met het vliegtuig de transfer naar Italië, in de rest van het peloton is het al transfers wat de klok slaat. De overgang van Tiesj Benoot (31) naar Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale is rond, op zijn beurt shopt Visma-Lease a Bike bij Alpecin-Deceuninck.

www.hln.be

Lotto en tweede sponsor

De broers Roodhooft zijn alleszins actiever op de markt dan Stéphane Heulot van Lotto Cycling Team, waar het zoeken is naar budget. Volgens onze bronnen heeft de Nationale Loterij op de raad van bestuur van de wielerploeg groen licht gegeven om er een tweede grote sponsor bij te nemen en desnoods zelfs op de eerste positie van de ploegnaam.

Het maakt de zoektocht iets gunstiger en misschien eindigt die zelfs in het buitenland. In tegenstelling tot zijn medehoofdsponsor B&B Hotels wil Arkéa wel nog graag als sponsor in de WorldTour blijven. Heulot heeft alvast dezelfde Bretoense roots als kredietverlener Arkéa.

Wat de toekomst van de Lotto-ploeg en Heulot ook wordt, het zal zonder Brent Van Moer zijn. De 27-jarige Oost-Vlaming staat op de radar van Q36.5, Soudal Quick-Step én Alpecin-Deceuninck. Wordt vervolgd...

Lotto and second sponsor

The Roodhooft brothers are certainly more active on the market than Stéphane Heulot of Lotto Cycling Team, where they’re scrambling for budget. According to our sources, the National Lottery has given the team’s board of directors the green light to bring in a second major sponsor — potentially even as the lead name in the team’s title.

That makes the search a little easier, and it might even end abroad. Unlike its co-title sponsor B&B Hotels, Arkéa still wants to stay in the WorldTour as a sponsor. Heulot, for what it’s worth, shares the same Breton roots as the credit provider Arkéa.

Whatever becomes of the Lotto team and Heulot, it won’t involve Brent Van Moer. The 27-year-old East Fleming is on the radar of Q36.5, Soudal Quick-Step, and Alpecin-Deceuninck. To be continued…

 

[Samamba]

Wout van Aert verliest Tiesj Benoot aan AG2R, maar ook superknecht van Mathieu van der Poel zoekt volgend jaar andere oorden op

De Giro-renners maken deze middag met het vliegtuig de transfer naar Italië, in de rest van het peloton is het al transfers wat de klok slaat. De overgang van Tiesj Benoot (31) naar Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale is rond, op zijn beurt shopt Visma-Lease a Bike bij Alpecin-Deceuninck.

www.hln.be

It's great news (if true) that they (well the lottery itself I mean) seem to have finally seen the light and realize they just can't survive without someone on the jersey that's potentially bigger than them. Way too late of course, could've had Lidl - Lotto, Soudal - Lotto and more if they just agreed to this years back. But better late than never I guess, but in the meantime what was left of your midfield is leaving. Van Moer and also Segaert are basically confirmed to be leaving.

But for what it's worth, people within the team are denying the Arkea rumor. Either it simply isn't true (the HLN article reads a bit weird, it's like the journalist isn't even sure about it and he's just suggesting) or they don't even want to say anything off the record. Arkea would kind of make sense tho, they have Keytrade Bank in Belgium.

 

[Netserk]

It reads as nothing more than speculation to me regarding Arkéa.

I can imagine that many teams are interested in Segaert, but I've heard nothing specific.

 

[Samamba]

It reads as nothing more than speculation to me regarding Arkéa.

I can imagine that many teams are interested in Segaert, but I've heard nothing specific.

Segaert story will be in the press soon I think.

Yes, I also thought it was the journalist speculating, but his tweet speicifically says "Arkea linked with Lotto". Bram Vandecapelle is usually pretty well informed, but is also a bit of a weird guy, so I'm just gonna act it's a nothing burger for now.

 

[Berniece]

Segaert story will be in the press soon I think.

Yes, I also thought it was the journalist speculating, but his tweet speicifically says "Arkea linked with Lotto". Bram Vandecapelle is usually pretty well informed, but is also a bit of a weird guy, so I'm just gonna act it's a nothing burger for now.

Which teams are in the running or is in the lead?

 

[Samamba]

Which teams are in the running or is in the lead?

Don't know, source is Lotto related and he just said they can't offer him anything close to what others can. I actually think he would've left even without the money problems. Never understood the Segaert investment from Lotto's point of view (cause it was written in the stars he would leave rather soon) or Segaerts choice for Lotto (given his TT talent).

Well for what it's worth I have heard about QS offer, and I'm assuming Bahrain will also definitely try given his brother is there, but let's be real, everyone knows Segaerts talent, he will have offers from most big teams.