'There was no longer a place for me' - Bart Wellens leaves cyclo-cross behind to forge role as sports director for Lotto-Intermarché

The merger of the Lotto and Intermaché-Wanty organisations has led to sweeping changes for the latter's cyclo-cross team, with Bart Wellens being replaced as the squad's manager by Bart Verschueren. Now, Wellens will focus full time on his role as sports director the newly promoted WorldTour team on the road as of January 1, 2026.

"They left me no choice," Wellens told Het Nieuwsblad. "Initially, it was said the cyclo-cross team would continue until the end of the cyclo-cross season, but then the discussions accelerated, and it was decided to merge the cyclo-cross teams as well, effective January 1st. Which I understand. But then I also had to read that there was no longer a place for me."

Lotto's Deschacht-Hens 'cross team and Intermarché-Wanty's Charles Liégeois Roastery CX team will become Charles Liégeois – Deschacht on Thursday.

“For the past four months, I've been working with this cyclo-cross team seven days a week," Wellens said. "I did everything I could to give my riders the best of the best. I brought Julie Brouwers to the level she's currently riding, and I know she can do even better. I hope the new team management will spend as many hours on their moped or give as much training in the cyclocross field as I did.

"I'm not completely abandoning Julie and Keije [Solen] either, right in the middle of the season. I promised them that if they need me during the week, for example, to ride behind their moped, I'll be there for them.”

The former cyclo-cross world champion said realising that the Superprestige in Diegem on Tuesday was his last foray into the discipline was "a bitter pill to swallow".

"But every cloud has a silver lining. I don't normally see my children in January, but this time I've already booked a few dates for them. And I'll definitely keep following it. I have to, since I'll continue fulfilling my role as Cyclo-cross Professor - from the comfort of my own home, of course, or on-site, like in Benidorm, where I'll be present as an analyst for Play Sports.

"Cyclo-cross will always be in my heart. The only thing I won't miss is having to fight for an extra square meter to pitch your tent at 7:30 in the morning in the riders' parking lot. And since I'm not expected in Baal [the GP Sven Nys on January 1], I don't have to worry about a hangover this time. Although I'm sure it won't be too bad. Board games with the kids, a drink, and not going to bed too late."

The new role will elevate Wellens' career as a sports director in road cycling.

"I've always said I wanted to build my road career as a team leader," he said. "That dream will come true starting January 1st. I already know my schedule until October, and it's very comprehensive. The role of a team leader on the road is much broader than in the cyclo-cross world, where I've already seen it all.

"In 'cross, I have to limit myself to a few tips - which tubes, how much pressure in the tires — and we're only a handful of people. On the road, there's so much more to it: logistics, planning, and taking thirty to forty people into account.

"When I do the Giro again, I'll have to create presentations about stages over mountains I've never climbed myself and only know about from Veloviewer. If I have to tell a rider how to approach something, I have to be extremely well-prepared and documented. That will be the new challenge for me."