"We could do with one or two extra leaders, in particular climbers" - Lotto DS admits some reinforcements will be necessary with return to WorldTour in 2026
Cycling
With a comfortable position in the UCI rankings, Lotto can already peek at a return to cycling's top division in 2026 - in case everything goes according to a plan. However with the Belgian team's promotion one urgent problem arises - can they maintain a competitive level despite the persistent financial struggles?
"We will have to strengthen ourselves on all fronts during the summer. First of all, it is clear that we have too few climbers in the team. Nowadays, there is a lot of climbing to be done in those one-week WorldTour races, so we have to become stronger in that segment anyway," sports director Kurt Van de Wouwer tells WielerFlits.
"We are fortunate that we have a very young core this year, including six neo-pros. All those guys have time to mature for another year on the sidelines, which means that they will perhaps be more ready to ride a full WorldTour program in 2026. If we can then strengthen the width a bit more with one or two extra leaders, then I think we are really off to a good start," says Van de Wouwer.
Van de Wouwer may be missing climbers, but he still doesn't know exactly what type of rider that extra leader should be. "That partly depends on what comes on the market. It makes sense that we're looking for a climber type, but for me that can also be a classic type. We are ultimately a Belgian team and the classics have been a bit of a difficult point for us for years."
The only question is whether all these ambitions are realistic, given the dire financial situation the team is in. "If the money is there, a lot is possible. But you also have to take into account that the group we already have will also become one year more mature. It is not like we are starting from scratch. Our group will stay together, and the important guys are already signed."
In any case, Lotto can look forward to the arrival of young climbing supertalent Jarno Widar who, despite some emotional comments last summer, committed to become a pro with Lotto in 2026. For the moment. Some believe Widar was already ready to promote for 2025, but either way - his arrival to Lotto's WT team will be a massive asset in future GC battles.
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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