The Lotto-Intermarché merger is sending riders into uncertainty - But one sprinter may find new home at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
Cycling
One of the big stories of this winter is the merger between Intermarché - Wanty and Lotto. In many ways, a chaotic one, and one in which the riders do not seem to have been satisfied with taking into consideration the mixed signals that have been sent throughout the past few months. This sees several riders without a contract or a secure future at this point in time including sprinter Arne Marit, but he could well be on his way to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe.
The 26-year old has turned pro in 2021 and joined the Intermarché structure in 2024. The best results in his career however when it comes to wins remain whilst he was on the smaller categories, but he has fit in nicely to the World Tour peloton, coming close to netting a breakthrough victory on several occasions, including at this year's Vuelta a España and Tour Down Under, but it ultimately did not come. Marit finds himself in a tricky position where he has the quality but at this point in time many teams have either closed their lists for 2026 or have limited spots and budget.
Marit is ultimately forced to look for a new team, but his quality seems to have not been neglected by World Tour teams, who could use another sprinter in their team. Marit, who was also fourth at this year's Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, is reported to be likely heading to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe according to Het Laatste Nieuws.
Such a move would be rather logic taking into consideration the German team's extensive budget which allows it to continue signing World Tour figures, and the departure of Sam Welsford as a third sprinter together with Jordi Meeus and Danny van Poppel. The team currently has two positions (taking into consideration Oier Lazkano's current situation) to fill and it could well be Thijssen one of the chosen riders, which would give the team further depth in the sprinter division and allow it to pursue strong results in more events throughout the year.
Arne Marit on the slopes of the Alto de l'Angliru at the 2025 Vuelta. @Sirotti
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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