“I have never in my life come up against such an ego" - Dstny CEO details explosive fallout with Lotto
Cycling
In 2025, Lotto Dstny will be no more as Dstny pull back their sponsorship of the team. Although the team itself continues as just Lotto, the relationship between the team and their title sponsors have not been well for some time according to Dstny CEO, Daan De Wever.
“I really wanted to bring Jurgen Foré (who has since been announced as Patrick Lefevere's replacement at Soudal - Quick-Step ed.) to the team,” De Wever begins his story in conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws, criticising the decision makers at the team. “That preference was passed over, because they did not want my personal preference to become the final choice for the team.”
According to De Wever, the relationship was tarnished by the power games attempted by the team's the then CEO Jannie Haeck. “I have never in my life come up against such an ego, that is the sad reality," he explains disappointingly. "Jurgen had already drawn up a policy plan and was the obvious candidate. Until we were bypassed by the Board of Directors.”
Ultimately, it even led De Wever to regret his choice to bring Dstny to the pro peloton in support of the Lotto team. “I have already kicked myself a few times in that regard. If I had met Philip Roodhooft then, his team might have been called Alpecin-Dstny, and we would still be their sponsor, I am sure of that,” the Dstny CEO laments in conclusion.
We can’t get enough.
— Lotto Cycling Team (@lottocycling_) December 19, 2024
Pictures: Brecht Steenhouwer pic.twitter.com/KzqRzpzzi3
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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