Lotto Soudal, the WorldTour team, has announced the signing of Kamil Małecki from Poland and Maxim Van Gils from Belgium for the next two seasons. Małecki, previously with CCC Team, and Van Gils from the Lotto Soudal Development Team, are set to strengthen the team’s roster.
Małecki, 24, had an impressive performance in this year’s Tour de Pologne, finishing sixth overall and wearing the yellow jersey for a day. He has already showcased his talent with various pro-continental and development teams, winning titles such as the Bałtyk-Karkonosze Tour and CCC Tour Grody Piastowskie. Małecki has also excelled in cyclo-cross and mountain bike championships.
Expressing his enthusiasm about joining Lotto Soudal, Małecki said, “I am very happy to join Lotto Soudal. After the news that the CCC team would leave our sport, Lotto Soudal was one of the best teams I could go to. I can only learn from big names like Wellens, Gilbert, Degenkolb, and Ewan. For me, team play comes first.”
Van Gils, a 20-year-old rider, has shown promise in mountainous terrains and achieved notable successes in races like the Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc and the Ronde de l’Isard. After spending three seasons with the Lotto Soudal U23 team, Van Gils is excited to continue his journey with the team.
Van Gils stated, “The choice to stay with Lotto Soudal was obvious to me, despite the interest shown in me by several other teams. We have the opportunity to demonstrate that the youth project really works and is bearing fruit. I am delighted to take this step.”
John Lelangue, General Manager of Lotto Soudal, expressed his satisfaction with the new additions, saying “They are two very complete riders. We are once again focusing on youth. Growing talents while chasing victories is absolutely possible. The future is in the youth and our team already has some very good young people in its ranks.”
Van Gils will soon participate in the Piccolo Lombardia, the Giro delle Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia, and the Belgian championships.
