A development team with 35 victories? That's no coincidence. The performances of our young riders are not only due to their strong legs but also the result of years of scouting, looking around, and tracking youth categories. At Lotto Dstny, this responsibility naturally falls to Kurt Van de Wouwer (53). Van de Wouwer was a professional rider with Lotto for eight years. After hanging up his bike at the end of 2006 and spending a few years working with a youth team, he returned to Lotto in 2011, this time as a sports director.
Two years ago, he took on an additional role as sports manager, responsible not only for recruitment but also for the composition of Lotto Dstny's three teams. "And for planning race programs," says Van de Wouwer. "Who rides where, who is part of the team. Making sure the pieces fit together, in other words."
Youth development is one of Lotto Dstny’s flagship projects. This season, the development team achieved a remarkable 35 victories. With Jarno Widar, the team produced the very first Belgian winner of the Giro Next Gen, and Steffen De Schuyteneer, an under-23 rider, claimed victory in China among the pros. In recent years, numerous talents have also moved from the U23 squad to the professional peloton. "Of course, recruiting riders is a matter of budget. Everyone knows who the top talents are. You could just buy them, but we don't have the budget for that. So, we have to look elsewhere. The ability to spot talent in the vast pool of young and very young riders doesn’t come overnight," says Kurt Van de Wouwer. "You need years of experience in youth cycling to understand how things work. Only then do you have an edge. I've been at it for years. I attend youth races—though, these days, I often lack the time—but I have my sources and have built a vast network over the years."
"A good rider needs the complete package: results, of course, but also their racing style and mentality. We also look at physical parameters. Everything has to align, and even then, pitfalls must be avoided along the way. Young athletes who turn pro at an early age and earn a lot of money... it’s not easy to stay grounded. Over the past 17 years, it's only gotten harder. The spotlight is so intense on youth today. They mature at a younger age, which works up to a certain point. But there's a danger when things become too professional too soon, and the fun starts to fade. The shelf life is shorter."
Van de Wouwer has been doing his job with heart and soul for years. "The best part? Seeing riders you’ve known since their youth flourish. Watching young men or women you recruited find their way to the top. There aren't many. I'm very realistic. Of the roughly one hundred pros, ten drop out each year, and only ten new ones come in. But to see that our team consists of 95 percent riders from our own youth program... that brings tremendous satisfaction."
Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer
