ProTeam Lotto Soudal aims for stage wins during first participation at Saudi Tour

On Tuesday 1 February, Lotto Soudal will be at the start of the five-day Saudi Tour (2.1) for the first time. With a course mostly suited to the guys with fast legs, Lotto Soudal is mainly sending a sprint selection to Saudi-Arabia with Caleb Ewan spearheading the team. The following seven riders are making their season debut at the Saudi Tour: Jasper De Buyst, Thomas De Gendt, Jarrad Drizners, Caleb Ewan, Roger Kluge, Rüdiger Selig and Maxim Van Gils.

For Allan Davis, the Saudi Tour means his first assignment as a Lotto Soudal sports director. The 41-year-old Australian previews the five-day stage race in the Middle East.

“With three to four possible sprint stages, it is clear that the goal is to take stage wins with Caleb”, starts Allan Davis. “We have a new lead-out train combination with Jarrad Drizners and Rüdiger Selig coming in to team up with amongst others Jasper De Buyst and Roger Kluge. That way, we have a nice and strong train to support Caleb towards the finish line. We’ve done a lot of work during winter and the guys are really motivated to get the train rolling and start the year off on a good note.”

The Saudi Tour is not exclusively suited to sprinters, also the climbers will get their chance.

Allan Davis: “On Friday there’s a nice stage with a steep climb in the final, which is really going to set up the general classification. The final climb should suit the abilities of Maxim Van Gils and he will get the freedom to go for a nice GC result. We have a complete team lined up for the Saudi Tour, with both youth and experience. But most importantly, I can see a team which is motivated and hungry to get off to a good start and continue the good spirit the team at the Mallorca Challenge has provided.”

Davis himself is also fully motivated and looking forward to his first time in the DS car for Lotto Soudal.

“I am thrilled and honoured to be starting my time at Lotto Soudal, which is such an established and professional cycling team. To get the opportunity is something that I take very humbly and I am really looking forward to working with the team, providing my professional work ethic to the best of my ability and get the best results possible for our fans and partners.”

Stages Saudi Tour (01.02 – 05.02)

Tuesday 1 February: Winter Park AlUla – Winter Park AlUla (198 km)

Wednesday 2 February: Taibah University Alula – Abu Rakah (164 km)

Thursday 3 February: Tayma Hadaj Well – AlUla Old Town (181 km)

Friday 4 February: Winter Park Alula – Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid (149 km)

Saturday 5 February:  AlUla Old Town – AlUla Old Town (139 km)