Christophe Vandegoor sees “highly unusual” action from Van Gils: “Lotto is a victim of his own success here”

No flashy attack this time, but a swipe at the transfer market. Maxim Van Gils has terminated his contract with Lotto-Dstny and appears to be on his way to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. The reason? “Money. His contract no longer corresponded to someone who competes for the podium in the spring classics,” notes Christophe Vandegoor.

A news that surprised the entire cycling world. Maxim Van Gils has single-handedly terminated his contract with Lotto – Dstny.

“Highly unusual,” says cycling expert Christophe Vandegoor. “One of the few examples of this is Wout van Aert. It caused a lot of misery when he moved from Nick Nuyens’ team to (then) Jumbo.”

Now Van Aert will have a successor. “It has to do with money,” Vandegoor then explains the goldcrest’s switch. “In March, Van Gils – one of the most important riders at Lotto-Dstny – extended his contract according to what was the correct market value at the time, I’m told.”

“But afterwards he started to drive particularly well. He finished 3rd in the Flèche Wallonne, 4th in Liège and 3rd in the Strade Bianche. So he really became wild on the transfer market.”

“The contract that he had extended at the beginning of this year no longer corresponds to someone who can compete for the podium in the spring classics. So that is where the problem now lies.”

I think there is panic in the Lotto household. And that there is consultation at the highest level.

Christophe Vandegoor

And so certain brokers smell opportunities to steal the great talent from Lotto-Dstny. “At the end of the season they tell him: ‘You are cycling below your market value.'”

“The problem with Lotto-Dstny is that Dstny has not taken up the option to continue as a sponsor. So Lotto has to watch the money and does not have the money to offer more.”

“I’ve been calling around, but no one answers,” Vandegoor continues. “So I think there is panic in the Lotto household. And there is consultation at the highest level.”

Because once again: breaking a contract is certainly not an everyday occurrence. “It is actually one of the few gentleman’s agreements in the race. But you notice that Lotto is a victim of its own success, with youth products who are very well trained.”

Top teams are only too happy to adopt them. “I’m told that Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe can easily bring him in. They are in pole position,” says the commentator. Will they also capitalize on that pole position with the effective arrival of the talent?