That brand-new jersey, designed to celebrate 40 years of Lotto in the peloton, will stay in the wardrobe a little longer—until Sunday, when the real moment arrives. But for today’s recon ride, new bikes were unveiled. Bike manufacturer Orbea has showcased unique custom paintwork for “Flanders’ Finest,” highlighting their personalized paint project, ‘MyO.’ A true gift for the Lotto Cycling Team riders and an extra boost for Sunday. Jenno Berckmoes and Arjen Livyns are heading into the race with plenty of motivation.
“Our team is ready,” says Jenno Berckmoes. “Of course, we’re missing our leader, Arnaud De Lie, but over the past few weeks, we’ve shown in almost every race that we can compete. We’ve already proven that we are strong as a team. I see no reason why we wouldn’t be there again on Sunday when the race opens up. At the very least, we’ll give it everything to try. There are two, maybe three, top favorites, but behind them, anything is possible. We’ll race with an open mind.”
Arjen Livyns agrees: “An ideal scenario would be to reach the first climb of the Oude Kwaremont with a small group and a gap. If you’re left with ten riders ahead of the main peloton, opportunities open up. That’s a chance we can’t afford to miss. The legs on Sunday will decide who from our team has to go with the move, but we won’t give ourselves away too soon.”
Lennert Van Eetvelt will also be at the start for the first time. The Lotto Cycling Team climber had already expressed his desire to race the Tour of Flanders back in December. He skipped this afternoon’s press conference as a precaution after feeling unwell when stepping off the team bus, but he expects that some extra rest will help him recover in time.
“We’re still assuming that plan A remains in place,” says sports director Nikolas Maes. “Lennert at the start of the Tour of Flanders is no surprise to us. We believe in his abilities. He knows the course and has done extensive reconnaissance. Theoretically, he should be able to handle the Flanders route. If he can prove himself after the second ascent of the Kwaremont, survive the early positioning battles, and still be in contention by the Taaienberg, then we could see him achieving a strong result here.”
Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer
