ProTeam Lotto Soudal to Baloise Belgium Tour with GC ambitions

From Wednesday 15 June till Sunday 19 June, Lotto Soudal will take part in the 91^st edition of the Baloise Belgium Tour. With Victor Campenaerts, Jasper De Buyst, Arnaud De Lie, Frederik Frison, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Florian Vermeersch and Tim Wellens, the Belgian WorldTour team will bring a strong selection at the start of the five-day 2.Pro stage race, in which it mainly targets a good overall result. Sports director at the race, Nikolas Maes, discusses the ambitions of Lotto Soudal.

“Just like any other Belgian race, the Baloise Belgium Tour is an important appointment on the calendar for Lotto Soudal. With a strong team at the start, we target a good general classification. Due to the varied course, you need to be a good allrounder to win this race. I am thinking of guys like Victor Campenaerts or Tim Wellens, but also Florian Vermeersch”, says Nikolas Maes.

“In the battle for the general classification, the opening stage in the Flemish Ardennes, the time trial in Averbode and the Ardennes stage in Durbuy will be decisive. A rider like Campenaerts is keen on a good time trial performance, heading towards the national championships in his hometown but also Wellens, Vermeersch and Frison can do well against the clock. After the time trial, we have to see if we need to defend a lead or attack during Saturday’s stage. During the two sprint stages, Arnaud De Lie can have a go if the opportunity presents itself but with several of the world’s best sprinters at the start, we mainly target a good overall result. We have some cards to play and are ready for five days of racing in Belgium”, concludes Nikolas Maes.

Stages Baloise Belgium Tour (15.6 – 19.6)

Wednesday 15 June: Merelbeke – Maarkedal (170 km)

Thursday 16 June: Beveren – Knokke-Heist (179 km)

Friday 17 June: Scherpenheuvel-Zichem – Scherpenheuvel-Zichem (individual time trial – 11.8 km)

Saturday 18 June: Durbuy – Durbuy (175 km)

Sunday 19 Juni: Gingelom – Beringen (182 km)