# Harm Vanhoucke Rejoins Lotto Dstny: A Fresh Start for the Climbing Talent
Harm Vanhoucke is set to make his return to Lotto Dstny as of Tuesday, August 15. The 26-year-old cyclist has signed a contract with the Belgian team that will keep him with the organization until the end of 2024.
Vanhoucke is no stranger to Lotto Dstny, having previously raced with their U23 team before advancing to the professional level in 2018. During his initial stint with the team, he showcased his climbing prowess, notably securing two third places in stages of the Giro in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, he narrowly missed out on his first professional victory at the Sibiu Cycling Tour in 2022.
After a move to Team DSM last year, Vanhoucke will return to Lotto Dstny by mutual agreement. Reflecting on his previous experiences with the team, he stated, “I got warm memories of my time in this team and I’m very happy to return to this family. I’m making a fresh start here and want to be the rider I was before.”
Vanhoucke expressed his commitment to the team, mentioning, “In recent months I spoke to many riders of the team. I kept following Lotto Dstny and you just feel the team has taken some nice steps while they continue to invest in the future.”
As he looks ahead, Vanhoucke’s ambitions remain clear. “I want to show myself in smaller one-week stage races, such as the Sibiu Tour or the Deutschland Tour and help the team in the Ardennes Classics,” he shared. He emphasized his camaraderie with teammates Maxim Van Gils and Andreas Kron, anticipating a collaborative effort to excel in their respective races.
Kurt Van de Wouwer, the sports manager at Lotto Dstny, expressed enthusiasm about Vanhoucke’s return, stating, “We know the capacities of Harm. He climbs well and it was important to strengthen our team in that area. Just like before, he will be allowed to take his chance in smaller stage races and he will also have a supporting role in the races with Andreas (Kron) and Maxim (Van Gils). We all remember the Giro of 2022 where he played an important role in the victory of Thomas De Gendt. We are convinced that he can show us even more in the upcoming months and the following year.”
As he embarks on this new chapter with Lotto Dstny, Vanhoucke is ready to demonstrate his potential and contribute to the team’s future successes.
