Lotto-Soudal

published 12 January 2022

Lotto-Soudal are a likeable old-school Belgian team who walk the fine line between organisational competence and chaos. Lotto would usually attack the Tour de France on two fronts, with André Greipel in the sprints and Jurgen Van den Broeck in the overall. Neither of which worked particularly well.

On past results though, Greipel’s was also the safer bet — he eventually won 22 stages over his career. Now though, the team's form is much more sporadic, evidenced by their nineteenth-place finish in the UCI World Team Ranking for 2021.

Sponsored by the Belgian lottery and adhesives and sealants manufacturer Soudal, Lotto-Soudal started racing in 1985, and is one of the oldest teams in the peloton.

Unfortunately, Lotto were struck by tragedy in 2019, when their young talent Bjorg Lambrecht died after a crash 50km into stage three of the Tour of Poland.

Still reeling from that incident, Lotto-Soudal have struggled for victories in the past two years, and have relied heavily on talented sprinter Caleb Ewan for a large proportion of their wins.

In 2021 the Australian won a stage on the UAE Tour, the Benelux Tour, two stages on the Tour of Belgium and, most notably, stages five and seven on the Giro d'Italia. He also scored the team's joint-highest Monument race finish, achieving second at Milan-San Remo.

Perhaps the most incredible story of Lotto-Soudal's 2021 season though came from Florian Vermeersch at Paris-Roubaix. The 22-year-old surprised everyone when he managed to join a group of breakaway riders during the race, and upon coming into the velodrome at Roubaix, the young Belgian was neck and neck with Sonny Colbrelli and Mathieu van der Poel.

Colbrelli agonisingly pipped Vermeersch to the line, but he still managed to finish ahead of Van der Poel in what was a thrilling finale to an eventful race.

2021 also only yielded two top-ten finishes in the Classics, at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Amstel Gold Race, a far cry from the team's previous successes. However, Lotto are still waiting for a Grand Tour winner too, having failed to succeed in any of the three races since the team formed in 1985.

Largely comprised of Belgian riders, Lotto-Soudal also features a fairly inexperienced roster. The team hopes one day their young rides will develop into race winners.

Lotto-Soudal 2022 squad

Filippo Conca (ITA)
Steff Cras (BEL)
Jasper De Buyst (BEL)
Thomas De Gendt (BEL)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Caleb Ewan (AUS)
Frederik Frison (BEL)
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
Kobe Goossens (BEL)
Sébastien Grignard (BEL)
Matthew Holmes (GBR)
Roger Kluge (GER)
Andreas Kron (DEN)
Kamil Małecki (POL)
Tomasz Marczyński (POL)
Sylvain Moniquet (BEL)
Stefano Oldani (ITA)
Harry Sweeny (AUS)
Gerben Thijssen (BEL)
Tosh Van der Sande (BEL)
Maxim Van Gils (BEL)
Brent Van Moer (BEL)
Harm Vanhoucke (BEL)
Florian Vermeersch (BEL)
Viktor Verschaeve (BEL)
Xandres Vervloesem (BEL)
Tim Wellens (BEL)

Lotto Dstny demands proof of controversial Caleb Ewan photo finish race result

The team's sprinter was judged to have finished second, despite inconclusive finish line imagery

‘Current WorldTour system is killing all the smaller teams,’ says Reinardt Janse van Rensburg

South African ex-Lotto Soudal rider fears more teams could find themselves in B & B Hotels-KTM situation if the system doesn’t change

By Tom Thewlis Published 9 December 22
Caleb Ewan ‘not going anywhere’ after team's relegation, says Lotto-Soudal

Spokesperson for Belgian team says that Ewan has expressed desire to stay and lead the team in 2023

By Tom Thewlis Published 17 November 22

Philippe Gilbert offered Lotto Soudal manager role but turned it down

The Belgian team's previous boss resigned last month

By Tom Davidson Last updated 11 October 22
Lotto Soudal boss leaves as relegation looms over Belgian team

John Lelangue has been in charge of the squad for four years

By Adam Becket Published 29 September 22
Teams target up to four races a day in relegation points scramble

For Lotto-Soudal and Cofidis, the racing is only just beginning

By Tom Davidson Published 14 September 22

‘It's not been a great Tour for the sprinters’ - Caleb Ewan rues bad luck at the Tour de France after heavy crash on stage 13

Lotto Soudal sprinter involved in nasty crash with a teammate midway through stage into Saint-Étienne

By Tom Thewlis Published 15 July 22
'I’m still having to pinch myself a little bit, what a ride!' : Reinardt Janse van Rensburg’s journey to a sixth Tour de France

The 33 year old South African rider feared his career was over before Lotto Soudal came calling.

By Tom Thewlis Last updated 2 July 22
Lotto Soudal pins Tour de France hopes on 'one of the fastest riders of the peloton', Caleb Ewan

Caleb Ewan, Philippe Gilbert, Andreas Kron and Tim Wellens all make the team's Tour de France lineup

By Tom Thewlis Published 22 June 22

Lotto-Soudal sign former Qhuebka-NextHash pair until end of season

Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and Carlos Barbero will join Lotto-Soudal for the remainder of 2022

By Ryan Dabbs Published 25 April 22
Racing every race like it's the last of the season: how smaller teams are overperforming this year

Lotto-Soudal and Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux have won 11 races between them in 2022 after just 21 in all of last year, so what's going on?

By Adam Becket Published 22 February 22
Meet Florian Vermeersch, the history student and local councillor who finished second at Paris-Roubaix

The Lotto Soudal rider on living up to new expectations, the new approach of his team, and how time trialling helps in the Classics

By Adam Becket Published 9 February 22

What did we learn from the first elite road races of the year?

Alejandro Valverde is still good; Lotto-Soudal are hungry for results; Biniam Girmay might be a force to be reckoned with

By Adam Becket Published 31 January 22
Philippe Gilbert to target results in big races - not 'easy wins' - in his final year

The Belgian former world champion says that he won't chase easy wins after 20 years in the pro peloton

By Adam Becket Published 6 January 22
Lotto-Soudal launch new kit and extend Florian Vermeersch's contract

Red returns with vengeance for Belgian squad

By Adam Becket Published 20 December 21

Victor Campenaerts re-joins Lotto-Soudal as Qhubeka-NextHash sponsor troubles continue

The current world hour record holder left the Belgian team back in 2019

By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published 19 October 21
Paris-Roubaix runner-up Florian Vermeersch posts incredible ride to Strava

The 22-year-old Belgian put in an astonishing ride on his 'Hell of the North' debut

By Tim Bonville-Ginn Last updated 6 October 21
Caleb Ewan out of Tour de France 2021 with collarbone fracture

The Australian crashed in the final stretch of stage three, bringing down Peter Sagan with him

By Richard Windsor Published 28 June 21

Lotto-Soudal rider sent off course as he led solo in final kilometre at Ronde van Limburg

Brent Van Moer looked in with a chance of taking his first pro victory before he as sent off course

By Richard Windsor Published 24 May 21
Lotto-Soudal down to just two riders at the Giro d'Italia 2021 after Thomas De Gendt abandons

The team have struggled with injuries since Caleb Ewan left the race

By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published 24 May 21
Giro d’Italia 2021: Caleb Ewan says stage win a relief as he targets victory in all three Grand Tours in a single season

The Australian sprinter delivered another remarkable sprint

By Alex Ballinger Published 12 May 21

Caleb Ewan fires at the final moment to win stage five of the Giro d'Italia 2021

The Australian won the day as crashes affected the GC race

By Alex Ballinger Published 12 May 21
Andreas Kron takes the opening stage of Volta a Catalunya 2021 as late break makes it

Andreas Kron took stage one of the 100th Volta a Catalunya ahead of the Spanish champion Luis León Sánchez into Calella.

By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published 22 March 21
Tim Wellens solos from strong break to take stage three of Étoile de Bessèges 2021

Tim Wellens of Lotto-Soudal attacked on the descent of the final climb with around 16km to go to take stage three of Étoile de Bessèges 2021

By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published 5 February 21

Thomas De Gendt and Tim Wellens set new Strava KoM on Vall d’Ebo during training race

Thomas De Gendt and Tim Wellens have set a new fastest time on the famous Vall d’Ebo climb during a training race.

By Alex Ballinger Published 20 January 21
Caleb Ewan fires from behind to take headwind sprint on stage three of Tour de France 2020

Caleb Ewan fired from a long way back and weaved his way to a headwind sprint victory on stage three of the Tour de France 2020.

By Alex Ballinger Published 31 August 20
'In a peloton it is impossible not to ride in each other's snot': Teams nervous ahead of racing return

Deceuninck - Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere worries cycling may be returning too soon

By Jonny Long Published 28 June 20

Lotto-Soudal divides squad into three clusters to reduce risk of coronavirus

The WorldTour outfit are looking to 'corona-proof' their return to racing

By Jonny Long Published 24 May 20
Lotto-Soudal rider punched in face during training ride

The Belgian blamed the fears surrounding coronavirus for his attacker's actions

By Jonny Long Published 22 March 20
Lotto-Soudal ban alcohol for riders and staff

Lotto-Soudal have banned alcohol for staff and riders during races and training camps.

By Alex Ballinger Published 14 January 20

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