Lotto–Intermarché approaches today’s Samyn Classic with ambition. The team includes several Walloon riders in its ranks– including Sébastien Grignard in today’s selection– and is particularly pleased that this cobbled classic, starting in Quaregnon, also marks the official launch of the season in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Since the merger between Lotto Cycling Team and Intermarché-Wanty, the team has become more firmly anchored than ever in cycling in the south of the country. Lotto–Intermarché is therefore pursuing an intensive youth development policy throughout the country, through its links with the Van Moer Logistics Cycling Team, but also with the Wanty-Gobert Cycling Academy.
Founded in 2021 under the umbrella of Intermarché-Wanty, the Wanty-Gobert Cycling Academy is a centre of expertise that aims to contribute to the revival of cycling in the southern part of the country. In collaboration with Wallonie-Bruxelles Cycling and ADEPS, the project seeks to strengthen the base of the cycling pyramid by supporting affiliated development clubs within the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, while also providing young talents with a pathway to the professional level. Concretely, the Academy provides financial support to clubs (€35,000 redistributed in 2025 to fifteen development clubs across the territory), as well as equipment, logistical and technical expertise, under the direction of former professional rider Frédéric Amorison.
Furthermore, in partnership with Team Wallonie and Wallonie-Bruxelles Cycling, the Wanty-Gobert Academy enables the most talented riders in youth categories, from U17 Cadets to U23 riders, to benefit from the expertise of the professional structure, including collective training sessions, race reconnaissance and training camps in Belgium and abroad under the supervision of Lotto–Intermarché’s coaching and performance staff. Selected riders also receive equipment support, including the provision of Orbea bikes.
Expand the development pyramid
The Academy’s philosophy and operations perfectly match the DNA of Lotto–Intermarché and therefore represent an additional pillar in its development strategy, ensuring a direct link between grassroots development clubs and the highest level of international cycling. Jean-François Bourlart, CEO of Lotto–Intermarché: “Intermarché-Wanty had already maintained a close relationship with the Academy in recent seasons, so it was only logical for us to continue this collaboration following the merger with Lotto. Scouting is one of the essential pillars of our team, and youth development is an obvious priority for us. In practical terms, this means sharing our experience and performance expertise with the Wanty-Gobert Cycling Academy. Last January, around fifteen riders from the structure took part in our training camp in Spain. They attended presentations by our nutritionist and coach and experienced a full week as professional riders. Ten top talents can also use an Orbea bike.”
Kurt Van de Wouwer, Sports Manager of Lotto–Intermarché: “Thanks to our collaboration with the Wanty-Gobert Cycling Academy, as well as with the Van Moer Logistics Cycling Team, we are able to further expand the development pyramid– from young rider to professional. In this way, we not only identify talent at an early stage, but also provide the support they need and, above all, allow them to develop at their own pace in a stable environment. Over the past five years, more than twenty-five young riders have joined the professional peloton thanks to this type of collaboration within our structure. Arnaud De Lie and Sébastien Grignard are two examples. Today, riders such as Édouard Claisse and Thibaut Bernard are also progressing within our development team, Lotto-Groupe Wanty. Working with youth teams is effective and essential in identifying the talents of tomorrow.”
Frédéric Amorison, Director of the Wanty-Gobert Academy: “A collaboration with a UCI WorldTour team and a development team is invaluable for us. We have now existed for four years and clearly see the many advantages of our link with Lotto–Intermarché. It is a win-win situation: the WorldTour team can identify young talents at a very early stage– Édouard Claisse, for example, comes from our structure– and we benefit from their infrastructure and expertise. Thanks to this collaboration with Wallonie-Bruxelles Cycling and all affiliated clubs, we remain closely connected to their needs while also benefiting from their daily presence in the field alongside the young talents of tomorrow. This essential link in the development pyramid also enables us to keep our best talents ‘at home’, in a familiar and healthy environment. In modern cycling, the sport is becoming increasingly professional at a younger age. Thanks to our approach, riders can first complete their education and obtain their diploma, develop in a stable and family-oriented environment, while still competing in major events. This makes their careers far more sustainable in the long term.”
Picture: Cyclingmedia_agency
