ProTeam Guillaume Martin joins Lotto-Intermarché
For Guillaume Martin, joining Lotto-Intermarché means returning to familiar territory. Between 2016 and 2019, the Frenchman spent four seasons with Wanty-Groupe Gobert. Five seasons with Cofidis and two years with Groupama-FDJ United followed. When Martin started looking for a new team this spring, a return to a Belgian environment quickly became an attractive option. “Returning to a Belgian team was my first choice”, says Martin. “I have nothing but good memories of my four years with Wanty-Groupe Gobert. CEO Jean-François Bourlart and I know each other from that time and we have always stayed in touch. When I knew I had to look for a new team, I called him straight away. Of course, a lot has changed since 2019, but at the same time, I’m not stepping completely into the unknown. I’m very happy to be back.”
At Lotto-Intermarché, Martin hopes to get back to his best level. His recent eleventh place in the general classification of the Vuelta already gives him confidence heading into next season. “I may have flown a little under the radar over the past two years. I still believe I have what it takes to fight for a top-ten finish in a Grand Tour. Finishing eleventh in the recent Vuelta reinforces that belief. The WorldTour remains my terrain and I feel I still have something to achieve there. The Giro d’Italia is the only Grand Tour in which I haven’t finished in the top ten yet, so that remains a dream of mine. But of course, the Tour de France is also on my mind. For every French rider– and really for every rider– it remains a very special race.”
At Lotto-Intermarché, Martin will take on a dual role. Alongside his own sporting ambitions, his experience will be an important asset for the team’s young squad. “I really believe in the Lotto-Intermarché project. At 33, I’ll raise the average age of the youngest team in the peloton a little”, Martin laughs. “But that’s also why I’ll have an interesting dual role. In certain races, I’ll have the opportunity to pursue my own ambitions, while at the same time I want to share my experience and act as a road captain for the young talents within the team. That combination really appeals to me.”
CEO Jean-François Bourlart is pleased to work with Martin again. “Guillaume is obviously a rider we know very well. Since our first period together, he has gained a huge amount of experience at the very highest level. That experience is extremely valuable within our young squad. At the same time, we are not bringing him in solely as a mentor. Guillaume showed again at the recent Vuelta that he can still perform at a very high level. We want to give him the freedom to pursue strong results of his own, while also counting on him to help guide our young riders, both on and off the bike. That combination makes him a very valuable addition to our team.”
Picture: PhotoNews
