24/03/2022

"There is certainly no need to panic" at Lotto Soudal camp, John Lelangue indicates

Lotto Soudal general manager John Lelangue has talked once more about the team's approach to the ongoing situation with the UCI points rankings. With Caleb Ewan's recent setback, the team has taken another hit in both terms of points and ressults.

"Of course this is a sad thing. And it couldn't have been a worse time. Caleb was in good shape for the Primavera, his biggest goal," Lelangue said in an interview with Wielerflits. "And I don't think it's responsible to let him come to Belgium for Brugge-De Panne and Gent-Wevelgem. If you have not cycled for four or five days, you should not take any risks here. It's hard for him, but he needs to make a full recovery first."

Caleb Ewan, after having finished twice in runner-up spot at Milano-Sanremo, had been preparing his early season towards peak form at the Italian monument. Stomach flu hit after he left Tirreno-Adriatico, and now not only has he missed the opening monument of the season, but also some of the Belgian classics he had been targeting.

With the World Tour licenses for the next three years to be attributed at the end of this season, Lelangue insists the team is not under pressure, but it is cautious over the risk of descending to Pro Team division. “Of course I check the new ranking every Tuesday, just like you. Everyone's talking about it. But it's not an obsession. If you focus on that, it only gives negative energy. And no, there is certainly no need to panic," he says.

With the wins of Max Walscheid at GP de Denain and Anthony Perez at the Classique Loire Atlantique last week, Cofidis have taken a set of very important points which have left Lotto Soudal isolated in 20th place of the UCI rankings from 2020-2022 - in which the 18 best teams will receive a World Tour license.

The manager of the Belgian team insists that developing their talents and chasing wins remains the team's goal, and shrugs off the pressure that may come from the rankings situation: “That's not the science of cycling, is it? I want my riders to do their job and race to win. That's the only way to keep it fun. Winning, for example, [Arnaud] De Lie tried in Koksijde, but in the sprint it did not go as desired. Too bad, but he has gained extra experience and learned. That's the beauty of our sport."