Démare at risk of losing leadout as Jacopo Guarnieri also linked with rival team

Lotto Soudal is looking to add firepower to their leadout to have the ability to support Caleb Ewan and his ambitions in the flat races. Jacopo Guarnieri is being rumoured to join the Belgian team in an attempt to recover the winning ways of the Australian fast man.

Ewan's traditional leadout of Roger Kluge, Jasper De Buyst, Rudiger Selig and Michael Schwarzmann has not been at the recent Tour de France, where Ewan struggled through and did not manage to achieve any meaningful result. The 'Pocket Rocket' had a solid start to the year, but several crashes and illnesses have seen him perform under the expected level in some of the crucial races.

At the Tour de France he was given a new leadout, with Reinardt Janse van Rensburg the only sprinter alongside him, but the results were not positive. Now, with several question marks over the efficiency of Lotto Soudal in the sprints, the team is looking to bring reinforcement, specially as Belgian talent Arnaud de Lie is also growing a crucial role inside the team and will need support.

With both Guarnieri and Ramon Sinkeldam rumoured to leave Groupama - FDJ, this can also mean a problem for the French squad, as the sprinter teams are entering a direct battle for the best leadout men in the peloton between themselves.