Cycling: Only a few changes are planned for the Belgian team Lotto Soudal, André Greipel's sporting home. There were only three departures and four arrivals, and so the goal for 2017 will not change – the greatest responsibility once again rests on the broad shoulders of the top German sprinter.
Lotto Soudal 2017: Transfers
departures
Gert Dockx
Greg Henderson (United Healthcare)
Pim Ligthart (Roompot – Orange Peloton)
Additions
Nikolas Maes (Etixx – Quick Step)
Moreno Hofland (LottoNL-Jumbo)
James Shaw (NeoPro)
Remy Mertz (Color Code)
Enzo Wouters (NeoPro)
Team 2017 (preliminary)
Sander Army
Lars Ytting Bak
Tiesj Benoot
Kris Boeckmans
Sean deBie
Thomas de Gendt
Bart de Clerq
Jasper de Buyst
Jens Debusschere
Frederic Frison
Tony gallopin
André Greipel
Adam hansen
Moreno Hofland
Nicholas Maes
Tomasz Marczynski
Remy Mertz
Maxim Monfort
Jurgen Rolandts
James Shaw
Marcel Sieberg
Rafael Valls
Tosh van der Sande
Jelle Vanendert
Louis Vervaeke
Jelle Wallays
Tim Wellens
Enzo Wouters
Lotto Soudal 2017: team bikes and equipment
The partnership between the Belgian racing team and the local bicycle manufacturer Ridley has existed since the very first days of Lotto Belisol. This will not change in 2017 either, and since the entire product range has only been renewed in the past two years, André Greipel and Co will hardly have to change the bicycle models either. As before, the trio of Helium SLX, Noah SL and Fenix SL will collect the most racing kilometers, the Ridley Dean Fast is ready for the fight against the clock.
When it comes to the components, they are the only team, alongside Movistar and the new Asian racing team TJ Sports, to rely on traditional Italian technology from Campagnolo.
Lotto Soudal 2017: Greipel the great constant
The Lotto Soudal team managed to get by without a ranking rider this season. So once again almost everything revolved around the German André Greipel. He alone ensured 10 out of 21 victories, including successes in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. In addition to him, Tim Wellens, who was able to win a total of three WorldTour races, was particularly convincing. However, Bart De Clercq, Thomas De Gendt and Rafael Valls were once again unable to convince as classification drivers. So the team leadership had no choice but to go for stage victories. However, stagnation was also evident among the younger drivers. Talents Tiesj Benoot and Sean De Bie have had rather a wasted year. The only predictable successes remain the mass arrivals with André Greipel. So there is a certain dependency – and has been for years.
But that doesn't seem to bother anyone in the team leadership, because nothing was done about it in the current transfer phase either. Lotto Soudal is probably the team that has been the least active on the transfer market. However, the departure of Gregory Henderson hurts enormously, because he has been a loyal companion of André Greipel for years and is an important person in his sprint train. This wagon should probably be replaced by Moreno Hofland. On the flat sections, the group is among the best that cycling has to offer. When it comes to the mountains, stage victories are contested. Maybe Tony Gallopin will make another attempt at the Tour de France to get into the top 10. Bart De Clercq is probably still the most likely to improve as a classification driver. It is unlikely that Jelle Vanendert will regain his old strength on the hills. So in 2017 we will see pretty much exactly the same Lotto Soudal as before.
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