ProTeam Małecki and Van Gils to sign with Lotto Soudal
Two more new reinforcements for Lotto Soudal: Poland's Kamil Małecki and Belgian Maxim Van Gils have both signed for two seasons with the WorldTour. Małecki (24) has previously been with CCC Team, while Van Gils comes from the Lotto Soudal Development Team.
Kamil MaÅ‚ecki (24) took a sixth place Overall in this year’s Tour de Pologne, where he wore the leader's yellow jersey for one day. He has only been at the WorldTour level this year, but he has already built up a remarkable track record with the pro-continental and CCC development teams in previous years. Last year, for example, he won the Overall in both BaÅ‚tyk-Karkonosze Tour and CCC Tour Grody Piastowskie. In the youth categories, MaÅ‚ecki also became Polish cyclo-cross champion and won a medal in mountain bike championships. Among the U23s, he was the fastest in the road race at the 2018 Polish Championships. In that same year, he finished second Overall in the Tour of Hungary and fourth in the Tour of Flanders U23.
“I'm a fairly versatile rider,” explains Kamil MaÅ‚ecki. “The classics and the weeklong races are my favorite. Today, I am at the start of the Giro, my first Grand Tour. I'm quite curious, can't wait to be there. My future employer will definitely keep an eye on me. I am also very happy to join Lotto Soudal. After the news that the CCC team would leave our sport, Lotto Soudal was one of the best teams I could go to. With Wellens, Gilbert, Degenkolb and Ewan, the team has some big names in its ranks. I can only learn from them, and I am willing to work hard for them. For me, team play comes first."
Team spirit is also very important to 20-year-old Maxim Van Gils. He demonstrated it again in the last Ronde de l’Isard. Van Gils quickly showed his ease in the mountains, notably winning the juniors Classique des Alpes. As U23, he won a stage in the Tour of Navarra last year and was twice second at the Giro delle Valle d´Aosta Mont Blanc. In 2020, Van Gils continued on that momentum: best youngster and third Overall in the Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc and podium placings at the Tour de Savoie and the Ronde de l'Isard.
“The choice to stay with Lotto Soudal was obvious to me, despite the interest shown in me by several other teams. I just spent three seasons with their U23 team and now we have the opportunity to demonstrate that the youth project really works and is bearing fruit. In addition, I already know a lot of riders that I will meet at Lotto Soudal in 2021. It's a good group. I am delighted to take this step,” explains Maxim Van Gils.
Tomorrow, Van Gils will be at the start of the Piccolo Lombardia. Afterwards, he will participate in the Giro delle Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia and at the Belgian championships.
"Two very good reinforcements", adds a happy John Lelangue, General Manager of Lotto Soudal. “They are two very complete riders. We are once again focusing on youth. Growing talents while chasing victories is absolutely possible. I'm convinced. The future is in the youth and our team already has some very good young people in its ranks."