Maxim van Gils has not yet left Lotto Dstny, but talks in public for the first time since controversy: "If I could choose myself, I would rather be gone"

The world of cycling is shaken up by another unexpected situation regarding the transfers, this being the one of Maxim van Gils. The Belgian rider is in the process of leaving Lotto Dstny only months after renewing for two more seasons, and at the time being there is a lot of uncertainty over what will be of his career over the upcoming months.

Van Gils is still with Lotto, but he is honest about his intent to leave the Belgian ProTeam with immediate effect. “It was better this way. I had lost the culture and the project for a while. I just needed a different environment. Nothing is certain at the moment. Maybe I will still be riding for Lotto next year, I am not sure about that myself. If I could choose myself, I would rather be gone. But it is not only my choice." van Gils shared with Wielerflits.

Earlier this year he renewed with the team and looked to be only one of the many home-developed riders of a golden generation that is now leading the team, alongside Arnaud De Lie, Lennert van Eetvelt and Alec Segaert. “A lot has happened between the contract extension and now. Both in the organization and in my own performances. It may have only been one season, but still.”

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It is possible for van Gils to leave the team, but even in good terms this may see him involved in a court case that can last up for months. He confirms that Alex Carrera, his (and Tadej Pogacar's, among others) agent is having an important role in this risky situation.

"My management has informed me that I may not be able to race for a while, if it does not come to an agreement. But I think that Alex (Carrera, his agent, ed.) will arrange it well and that we are both in a good position at the moment. There is no reason to panic," he explains.

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Van Gils tells that there is no outburst with the Lotto Dstny management unlike Cian Uijtdebroeks' (very similar, including the same agent) case last year with BORA - hansgrohe, and that there is interest in wrapping up the contract termination as fast as possible. "The discussions with Lotto are very good at the moment. We are not angry with each other, that is already good. The decision has to be made fairly quickly. Preferably at the end of November, beginning of December. It is important for both Lotto and me that this is over quickly. I have a lot of confidence in it. Everything is being arranged well for me.”

Asked about where he intends to go, the 24-year old remains vague: “At the moment I am still with Lotto and I cannot talk to other teams yet, nothing is certain yet. I think the next ten days will be very important. But what I do know is that I am still young, so I should definitely go for an interesting sporting project. I would like to ride the same program as this year. Even a little better. That will be difficult, because it was already very good. But I think it can be even better, by winning one of those big races like Strade Bianche or the Flèche Wallonne. I would trade all my places of honour for that.”

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"The rider is portrayed as a money-grabber. I think that is totally wrong" - Belgian experts back up Maxim van Gils in Lotto Dstny contract controversy