Belgian Kurt Van de Wouwer is to become the new sports manager at Lotto Soudal, while the search to fill the post of the team’s CEO continues.
Van de Wouwer, 51, previously worked as manager of the Lotto Soudal Development Team and the women’s team.
The role, a new one in Lotto Soudal, will be taken up by former pro Van de Wouwer while the search for a CEO continues following the imminent departure of John Lelangue, in that role since 2018.
During Van de Wouwer's time as manager of the Development Team, promising young sprinter Arnaud De Lie, a winner of nine races in his neo-pro year, Florian Vermeesch, second in the 2021 edition of Paris-Roubaix and stage racing specialist Maxim Van Gils were all recruited by Lotto Soudal.
Van de Wouwer himself raced for the Lotto cycling team for many years, where he was mainly a team worker for stage races and in the hilly Classics, before becoming a sports director at the team.
According to a team press release “with the appointment of Kurt Van de Wouwer, the continuity of the professional cycling team is guaranteed. He will be responsible for all sports decisions, allowing the team to focus on the preparations towards the 2023 season.”
“I am very proud to be able to take this step”, commented Kurt Van de Wouwer. “This team means everything to me, after all those years as a rider, sports director and manager of the Development Team and Ladies Team. The Lotto cycling teams play a crucial role in cycling in Belgium and the rest of the world.”
The press release adds that the recruitment process of a new CEO “will continue with the greatest care.” According to Het Laatste Nieuws, an agency was contracted to create a longlist of ten candidates and then, following discussions, it would be whittled down to three. But although Axel Merckx has been confirmed as a candidate, the shortlist is not yet ready.
Meanwhile, the newspaper reports that this weekend the Belgian team is holding its first 2023 get-together for medical checkups, and new kit tests. John Lelangue, still in post until December 31st when he starts a new job as a general manager of the Tour de Pologne, is apparently overseeing the team meeting for one last time.
