ProTeam Lotto Dstny to Gent-Wevelgem with ambitious team

With Arnaud De Lie and Caleb Ewan, Lotto Dstny heads to Gent-Wevelgem with two protected riders.
Race 24 March 2023

With Arnaud De Lie and Caleb Ewan, Lotto Dstny heads to Gent-Wevelgem with two protected riders. Both top sprinters are looking forward to the Classic in which the fast guys might get their chance to shine.

Gent-Wevelgem is a Classic that’s full of history. The peloton will pass lots of World War 1 Monuments but this time the battle will be between the riders in Flanders Fields. On the menu: the notorious ‘Moeren’ and climbs like Monteberg, Baneberg, Scherpenberg and not to forget: Kemmelberg. Also the unpaved Plugstreets will give the race an extra dash of spice.

Just like in La Primavera, both Arnaud De Lie and Caleb Ewan will be at the start for Lotto Dstny. They will be supported by Florian Vermeersch, Brent Van Moer, Frederik Frison, Jasper De Buyst and Cedric Beullens.

For Caleb Ewan it will be his third time at the start of Gent-Wevelgem, a race the Australian does not have fond memories of but in which he’d like to get a result this year.

Caleb Ewan: The big difference compared to previous years is that I’m at the start with real ambitions. I already won Scheldeprijs and Brussels Cycling Classic in the past and to win in Flanders is always special. Gent-Wevelgem is full of history and is important to both myself and the team. In the past, lots of sprinters have won the race. It’s not a typical sprinters’ race anymore and a lot will depend on Sunday’s weather report, but I’m really looking forward to it and I’ll go for the best result possible.”

Also Lotto Dstny’s youngster Arnaud De Lie will be part of the team on Sunday. “I don’t think we’re rivals”, says Ewan. “It even gives me some peace of mind. I’m not the only leader so we share the pressure a bit. We’re two totally different kinds of sprinters and the only ambition is to win with the team on Sunday, it doesn’t matter which of the seven riders it is.”

Arnaud De Lie will start his second Gent-Wevelgem. Right before Milano-Sanremo, he got a minor illness, which caused him not to have the legs he dreamed of for the Italian Classic. “Now, I’m back to a good level”, the 21-year-old confirms, “and I’m looking forward to race again. It will probably be a really hard race, but I love that. I really hope to play my part in delivering a strong team performance.”

Image: Photo News.

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