“The idea is that we want to start the second half of the season as fresh as possible" Lotto-Dstny explain why they turned down Giro d'Italia invitation

With Lotto-Dstny opting against taking up their invitational entry into the 2023 Giro d'Italia, team manager Kurt Van de Wouwer has attempted to explain the thought process behind their decision.

“The idea is that we want to start the second half of the season as fresh as possible," Van de Wouwer explains in Het Nieuwsblad. "Where we mainly look at Caleb Ewan, to give him every chance to win stages in the Tour. Other riders who ride the Tour will have the opportunity to schedule an altitude training camp during the Giro period.”

With Lotto-Dstny, formerly Lotto Soudal no longer a World Tour level team following their relegation at the end of the 2022 season, they no longer have to field riders in every World Tour race. “The Wildcards system allows us to take them however we want. We have the luxury of compiling our program ourselves,” says the 51-year-old Van de Wouwer. “We will not ride a Tour Down Under, Tirreno-Adriatico, Tour of the Basque Country or Giro next year. For the rest, we do the entire World Tour calendar.”

Had Lotto decided to enter the Giro, Van de Wouwer admits their team would not have been at the strength required to compete. "The alternative is that we go to the Giro with a team that is not that interesting," he says. "Without Caleb Ewan for example. I don't think they care about us not being there. Now they can hand out an extra wildcard.”