Lotto Dstny rider Viktor Verschaeve retires due to a prolonged injury

Lotto Dstny rider Viktor Verschaeve has announced his retirement from professional cycling. The 24-year-old Belgian took the decision due to a long-standing injury, which appeared in his first pro year in 2021 and never allowed him to reach his full potential.

Viktor Verschaeve explains the decision in official press release by Lotto Dstny. "Already in 2021, my first pro year, the injury caused troubles. They assumed a narrowed iliac artery, but a surgery didn’t improve much. In 2022 I could do an almost complete season, but the complaints remained and I never could use my entire capacity. At the end of 2022, I underwent another surgery, which didn’t bring any solution either."

"The step to the Development Team ensured that I could build on the road back at my own pace, but unfortunately recent examinations decided otherwise. These showed that there isn’t any medical solution for the injury. That is why I took the decision to stop. I postponed the final decision for a long time as I was still hoping to find a solution. I am really grateful to Lotto Dstny that they kept supporting me during the entire process, but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be."

"Of course, I would have liked to race some longer. I was hopeful and kept on searching for solutions, I visited multiple specialists… It’s tough but I’m also at peace with it. I am really proud that I could turn pro due to the evolution I had at the U23 category with that Savoie stage win as the absolute highlight. It’s not yet clear what the future will bring. I have several options, I remain in love with the cycling world but first I’ll take some time to sort things out," concludes Verschaeve.

Viktor Verschaeve was brought to then Lotto - Soudal as a talented climber/puncheur following his strong U23 performances in 2018-2020 period, which included 2nd place at Liège - Bastogne - Liège U23 2019, a stage win at highly conquested Le Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc 2020 (2.2) and top 10 GC results at the most prestigous U23 stage races such as the Course de la Paix 2018, or Giro U23 2019.