LOTTO DSTNY

The WorldTour peloton’s longest standing sponsor faces a new edition of La Vuelta, the 20th in its trajectory. The Belgian team debuted in this race in 1998 under the name Lotto-Mobistar, repeating again in 1999 and returning continuously every year since 2005. However, the story of this group goes as far back as 1985, the year in which the first Lotto took its very first steps with its current manager, Marc Sergeant, as a member of that squad.  

Despite having the best experts in their ranks throughout the years, the team’s first Vuelta victory did not arrive until 2008, when a promising Greg Van Avermaet overtook Davide Rebellin and Juan Antonio Flecha in Sabiñánigo. If up until 2016 the Belgian Group had obtained four stage victories in the Spanish Tour, in 2017 Lotto Dstny became one of the driving forces of the peloton, doubling that number of partial victories. Tomasz Marczynkski, in Sagunt and Antequera; Sander Armée, in Santo Toribio de Liébana; and Thomas de Gendt, in Gijón; four new victories to add to their record in La Vuelta for Sergeant’s team. A steady rise that they maintained in 2018, with a new stage triumph by Jelle Wallays and the first King of the Mountain jersey for the team with Thomas De Gendt. In 2020, Tim Wellens added his name besides those of Gilbert and Marczyinski as the only Lotto Dstny riders to obtain double victories in the Spanish tour. He did so with his triumphs at Sabiñánigo and Ourense.

Although they obtained no stage victories in La Vuelta 21, their constant attacks were rewarded with the Most Combative Rider award, given to Andreas Kron for Stage 19. In 2022, the team lost its WorldTeam status, which it will attempt to recover in the 2023-2025 triennium. Danish rider Andreas Kron was also a protagonist in La Vuelta 23, winning the second stage and surprising the peloton.