Axel Merckx declines overall manager post by Lotto-Dstny - " The way I wanted to work with the team isn’t feasible"

It hasn't been a good week so far for Lotto-Soudal, which is on track for relegation to the WorldTour next season; the CEO has resigned, and there have been no victories in the past few weeks to brag about. Moreover, the team has now lost Axel Merckx, a possible candidate for the overall management position.

Merchkx revealed in a conversation with La Dernière Heure that he will not leave his current position at Hagens Berman Axeon to become a manager full-time. “They are continuing down other pathways. This decision shows how the team wants to work. The team are looking for a person who isn’t going to want to be so heavily implicated in the sporting side as I’d like,” said Merckx.

He also revealed the communication is not as smooth as it should be with the team. “I wanted to handle both the managerial and the sporting side. I haven’t been in touch with the team for a good while, but the way I wanted to work with the team isn’t feasible, so the conversation has stopped,” concluded Merckx .With just two months before the next season, it would be hard for the team to start the hunt for a new CEO once again.