The long-winded merger of Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty has had many twists and turns since the idea of the Belgian teams' fusion first came to light during the Tour de France.
On Thursday, the saga took another turn as several Lotto staff who had recently been laid off were asked to stay on at the new-look team.
An overnight report in Het Nieuwsblad has suggested that Lotto recently called two of their mechanics – Nick Mondelaers and Janice Verstraete – to ask the pair to rejoin the team. The mechanics were among the Lotto staff members laid off by the squad earlier in the month, including physio Vincent Monserez, doctor Milan Holvoet, and several others.
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However, both Mondelaers and Verstrate declined the offer from the Belgian team, Het Nieuwsblad reported, with the duo having since signed deals to work with other teams next year.
Another of the team's mechanics has also left, reportedly after a promotion and pay rise were reversed. He has also found a new team.
Lotto's about-face with its now-former mechanics is just the latest complication in the ongoing list which have beset the merger. Talks about the move emerged during the summer, but discussions dragged on into the autumn with numerous major details still to be ironed out.
The merged team did indeed manage to submit their application for the UCI's 2026 WorldTour license under Lotto's license-holding company, Captains of Cycling, in time for the October 15 deadline. The new team, then, will likely form part of the WorldTour from 2026 to 2028.
At the time of writing, there are still various unknowns about the new team beyond its basic structure. Intermarché-Wanty riders – including star racer Biniam Girmay – were understood to be free to seek contracts elsewhere for 2026, given the new team will run under Lotto's license.
Cyclingnews was told earlier this week, however, that Girmay would be unable to terminate his contract as the 2026 registration process is completed, given that the UCI considers the Lotto-Intermarché team a merger rather than a takeover.
Elsewhere, the team is aiming to reduce its combined roster to under the 30-rider maximum limit, meaning some Intermarché-Wanty riders will be let go. Intermarché-Wanty's reported debts of €2.5 million are another potential stumbling block in the merger.
Doubts also remain about the team's kit, clothing sponsor, and various other technical sponsors, Het Laatste Nieuws reported earlier this week.
