WorldTour Team Lotto Soudal has secured the talents of two promising young riders, Harry Sweeny from Australia and Harm Vanhoucke from Belgium, with both signing contracts until the end of 2022. Sweeny, currently riding for Lotto Soudal Development Team, has shown his versatility as a rider, while Vanhoucke, who has been with Lotto Soudal since July 2018, has established himself as a strong climber.
Sweeny, who hails from Warwick, Queensland and resides in Meerhout, Belgium during the season, expressed his excitement about joining the WorldTour team: “I am a particularly a rider for the classics and a good lead-out guy, but I can climb as well. I am super excited to join the WorldTour team, where I will find my compatriot Caleb Ewan. We know each other quite well. He can count on me,” said Sweeny.
Vanhoucke, who had a challenging first season due to anemia, expressed his gratitude to the team for their support: “My first season in the team didn’t go as expected, as I suffered from anemia. The team gave me the necessary time to recover and with the help of my trainer Paul Van Den Bosch we fought back,” said Vanhoucke.
Recently, Vanhoucke won the mountains classification in the Tour de Poitou-Charentes, further solidifying his climbing abilities. He is looking forward to future races, including the Tour of Italy: “I feel good with Lotto Soudal. We have a nice family atmosphere in the team. I look forward to my first Giro,” concluded Vanhoucke.
With the signings of Sweeny and the re-signing of Vanhoucke, Lotto Soudal is ensuring a strong team for the upcoming seasons. These young riders bring fresh talent and determination, adding to the team’s already impressive roster.
