"In my head I've figured it out" - Tim Wellens on move away from Lotto Soudal

Lotto Soudal are on the risk of loosing the World Tour position, but also one of their long-lasting leader Tim Wellens who is reportedly leaving the team at the end of the season, albeit on good terms and with lots of ambitions still for the ongoing season.

"Yes indeed. I am still very happy with the team. Maybe a little too happy and too much spoiled. That is why I was looking for a new challenge," Wellens revealed in an interview with Wielerflits. "Maybe next year I should say: damn it, at Lotto Soudal it wasn't so bad after all. But I won't know until I've made that choice."

"It's not one hundred percent complete yet, but in my head I've figured it out, yes," he said regarding his upcoming transfer which has highly been hinted to be towards UAE Team Emirates. The Belgian rider has been with Lotto Soudal ever since turning pro in 2012 and has for the last decade been one of it's most important riders, bringing in an average of four wins per year, and a total of 16 World Tour wins - and possibly counting as the season is still months away from finishing. 

Asked about the worries on calendar choice if the team is to be relegated, Wellens has said that it isn't a concern, exemplifying fellow Belgian team Alpecin-Fenix: "I don't think so, no. Alpecin-Fenix ​​is ​​a good example: they are not a WorldTour and they just ride what they want. It is of course more fun to be in the WorldTour."

However he remains optimistic that the goal will be achieved and the team will go over the red line. "But now that Arnaud De Lie is suddenly riding phenomenally, I think we have a chance to stay in the WorldTour. I hope so too, just to be clear. I would like to contribute to that," he pointed out.

He's set to ride the Tour de France this upcoming month, and he's admited to also be targeting big results over in France. “Yes, it remains the most important race of the year. Everyone wants to go there. I noticed in 2019 how much fun it is to drive there when you are in good shape," he concluded.