Development Lotto Soudal Development Team aims for Belgian road title

This Sunday 28 August, the battle for the U23 Belgian road title will take place in the East-Flemish village of Sint-Lievens-Houtem. It’s an important appointment in the race calendar for the Lotto Soudal Development Team, which will be at the start of the Belgian championship with eleven riders. Florian Vermeersch, who has been a pro at the Lotto Soudal WorldTeam for over two years, was the most recent rider to take the Belgian tricolour for the Development Team. In 2019, he soloed to the Belgian U23 title in Habay-la-Neuve after facing terrible weather conditions. Following Alec Segaert his win at the Belgian U23 TT championships, the Lotto Soudal Development Team also aims for the Belgian road title.

“Both for the team as for the riders, the Belgian championship is one of the most important races of the year. It is a yearly appointment in the race calendar which is marked red for a long time. Besides, taking the Belgian title would put the cherry on the cake after a fantastic season for the U23 team”, says Kurt Van de Wouwer, team manager of the Lotto Soudal Development Team. “A national title is something which you are remembered for during your entire career. The course in Sint-Lievens-Houtem is not to be underestimated. Due to the hilly sections and narrow roads, it will be hard to control the race. We need to race collectively and the race situation will make clear who we will put forward. Within our team, we have several cards to play. And if it would end in a bunch sprint, we have with Gianluca Pollefliet and Jarne Van de Paar two really fast guys in the team.”

The Lotto Soudal Development Team wants to take advantage of its numbers but also misses several guys at the Belgian championships due to illness and participation at the Tour de l’Avenir. Liam Slock is recovering from Lyme disease and both Alec Segaert and Lennert Van Eetvelt are riding for the Belgian national team at the Tour de l’Avenir. (Van Eetvelt did not take the start in stage seven due to a throat infection.)

“Unfortunately, Lennert Van Eetvelt and Alec Segaert won’t be there at the Belgian championships. So we miss two of the main favourites. Lennert became third last year and Alec proved with his victory at Hel Van Voerendaal to be in the right shape. However, we still have plenty of cards to play. I think of Luca Van Boven, who will be racing close to his home and who already won the U23 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in Sint-Lievens-Houtem.”

Lotto Soudal Development Team riders for the Belgian U23 championships: Ramses Debruyne, Jelle Harteel, Branko Huys, Milan Paulus, Gianluca Pollefliet, Luca Van Boven, Jarne Van de Paar, Aaron Van der Beken, Vincent Van Hemelen, Cédric Van Raemdonck and Noah Vandenbranden.