Lotto Dstny enters Tour de France with a mix of youth and experience as the PRT team looks to return to their roots of stage hunters on all terrains. Contrary to original plans, the team won't be able to count on Vuelta stage winner Andreas Kron whose injuries didn't allow him to get ready for Grand Départ in Florence, Italy.
In hilly stages and mountains, Lotto Dstny will try to play the card of Maxim Van Gils. The 24-year-old Belgian was one of the stars of this spring with podium at Strade Bianche and La Fleche Wallonne and victories at Eschborn-Frankfurt and recent GP Kantons Aargau. The Belgian already crossed the 2000 UCI barrier and we're only halfway through 2024, thus we can only look forward to seeing what he can do in France. In mountains, he can count on support of recently very strong Harm Vanhoucke.
Van Gils, who got close to a stage win already in his first participation last year, will look forward to capitalize on his great season so far: "Maxim did a great Tour debut last year, coming close to that win. The goal is to go for a stage win with him, but of course we know that won’t be easy," admits sports director Kurt Van de Wouwer in press release.
Compared to Van Gils, Arnaud De Lie's spring was as far from ideal as it could've possibly been. Luckily, the young sprinter quickly bounced back with a streak of no less than 8(!) top 5s in smaller races in France and Belgium, before crowning his early summer with a sweet victory at the Belgian Championships, ending 10-years-long hunger at Lotto Dstny.
De Lie, who just became Belgian champion on the road, makes his first appearance at the Grande Boucle next week. "Arnaud goes to the Tour without any pressure, as it’s his first participation we don’t put any expectations around him. He goes there to learn and gain experience, of course there are some stages that suit him and in sprints he can try his chance, but without any musts," his team assures.
The Belgian's got a handful of strong flat engines like Victor Campenaerts or Brent Van Moer to help him out on the flats, however in bunch sprints, he'll likely end up relying on other teams' leadouts. Cedric Beullens, Jarrad Drizners and Sébastien Grignard will try to drop out their jewel in best position possible. But as Campenaerts pointed out in recent interview, the young De Lie might have better chances in a breakaway later on in the race.
Lotto Dstny lineup for Tour de France 2024:
Maxim Van Gils
Arnaud De Lie
Victor Campenaerts
Brent Van Moer
Jarrad Drizners
Harm Vanhoucke
Sébastien Grignard
Cedric Beullens
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