Team Lotto Soudal has added two promising young riders to their WorldTeam roster. Xandres Vervloesem and Sylvain Moniquet, both from Belgium, have signed a two-year contract with the Belgian team. These riders showcased their skills in the recent Ronde de l’Isard stage race in the French Pyrenees, with Moniquet losing his yellow jersey to Vervloesem in the final stage. This victory marks Lotto Soudal’s first overall win in the Tour de l’Isard since Bjorg Lambrecht’s triumph four years ago.
“Honestly, I am pleasantly surprised,” said Vervloesem. “I knew from my junior years that I could climb, but this was only my second race in the real mountains as a U23 rider. Winning this prestigious stage race is good for my confidence and a nice thank you towards my future team.”
Vervloesem, a former junior rider, has had notable achievements in races such as Ain Bugey Valromey Tour, Giro della Lunigiana, and Oberösterreich Rundfahrt. However, a kidney infection and the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his progression as a U23 rider.
Moniquet, another talented climber, had an exceptional performance in the Ronde de l’Isard, wearing the leader’s jersey for two days. He previously finished 8th overall in the Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc and won the Triptique Ardennais last year.
“Just a bad day on the last day. I really wanted to win, but that’s sport. I can live with Xandres as the overall winner,” said Moniquet.
Lotto Soudal General Manager, John Lelangue, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s new additions. “We plunged into our own market to sign talented young riders. It’s a deliberate choice to rejuvenate the team and focus not only on the classics but on stage races as well.
“We needed some more climbers, and with Vervloesem and Moniquet, along with other young talents like Harm Vanhoucke, Viktor Verschaeve, Filippo Conca, and Sébastien Grignard, we aim to achieve results in the medium term. It’s nice to see the fruits of Kurt Van de Wouwer’s hard work with the Lotto Soudal Development Team,” added Lelangue.
With these new signings, Lotto Soudal continues to strengthen its roster with promising young riders, setting the stage for future success in both one-day classics and stage races.
