ProTeam Lotto Dstny Aims for Stage Win in Paris-Nice
The 81st edition of the prestigious Paris-Nice race is set to begin on Sunday, March 5th in La Verrière. This eight-stage WorldTour race provides opportunities for sprinters, punchers, time trialists, and climbers. The final weekend will prove to be challenging with an uphill finish on Col de la Couillole and the traditional closing stage featuring the famous Col d’Eze as the crucial climb.
Lotto Dstny has assembled a team of attackers and sprinters for the Race towards the Sun. Two-time winner Thomas De Gendt will participate for the 12th time, while Arnaud De Lie will make his debut in a WorldTour stage race. Cedric Beullens and Brent Van Moer complete the Belgian riders in the lineup, and Harry Sweeny and Dutch champion Jacopo Guarnieri complete the Lotto Dstny team for Paris-Nice. Sports director Maxime Monfort shares the team’s ambitions for the eight days of racing in France.
Maxime Monfort: “Paris-Nice is a very prestigious race with a strong field of contenders, but we want to leave a mark on the race with Lotto Dstny as well. With both offensive riders and enough guys for the sprint build-up, we have a balanced squad to make an impact on the race. For Arnaud De Lie, it will be his first stage race on WorldTour level, a next step in his development. On paper, there are about three stages which should suit him. As always, Arnaud is ambitious to show himself again and we will support him as good as possible.”
“But also in the stages suited to a breakaway, we have a few good cards to play. Thomas De Gendt already won two stages at Paris-Nice, but also with Van Moer, Sweeny and Eenkhoorn, we have guys in the lineup who like to race offensively. We especially aim for the sprint stages and stages suited to attackers, we don’t have any GC ambitions. When will Paris-Nice be a success for Lotto Dstny? Despite the strong field, we are ambitious and want to go home with a stage win from one of our riders.”
Image: Facepeeters.
