Belgium talent Lennert Van Eetvelt reveals what it’s like behind the scenes at Lotto Dstny: “A lot has changed”

Lennert van Eetvelt was one of the main reasons behind Lotto Dstny’s decent season, despite some unrest at the team. So far this off season, we’ve heard some rumours about unhappiness within the squad, which were confirmed when Maxim Van Gils decided to terminate his contract, and then the team’s sponsor Dstny left.

But still, Van Eetvelt remains positive with what he sees at his team, as he told the De Rode Lantaarn podcast, "I signed as a second-year promise. Then I stayed a promise for another year and then moved on to the professional team."

But the 23 year old Belgian has admitted that he did have his concerns following the 202 season. "I have to be honest, I had doubts about the team the year after. There was also all that fuss about the relegation from the WorldTour then.

"Not that I regretted it. Maybe that was more in the summer after, after I had a good last year with the promises,” said the 2024 UAE Tour and Tour of Guangxi winner. “I was very happy with the promises team, but in the press you read this and then that. If I compare the training camps from then with those of now, a lot has changed. Back then, nobody weighed their food, while now even the sprinters do that."

Van Eetvelt went on discuss his 2024 season, where he showed very promising signs, "I started well and then maybe I was a bit too enthusiastic. I came back from the UAE Tour on Monday and went to train for six hours on Wednesday. That was with Maxim Van Gils, who was in the last four hours.

"I rode the same power the entire training: hard, but not extreme. Only Maxim rode two gears higher uphill. And neither of us gave up. That training was almost as hard as the race. I like to start a race a bit tired, but in retrospect it wasn't the best idea."