Lotto Soudal has built their hope of winning the Grand Tour around one person, Caleb Ewan. On 30th, June i.e. Wednesday, John Lelangue, the team’s general manager said that their goal for this season is more than just winning. The team is headed to Copenhagen with revenge on their minds. The team is dazzling in their new kits by their new sponsor Dstny.
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John said while talking at the press conference:
If I can summarize our goals for the Tour, it can be done in one word – victories
Last year, Caleb had to withdraw from the tour because of an unfortunate crash that underwent on the stage 3 final. Lelangue said while remembering the last year’s events:
It’s clear that we go to the Tour with a lot of ambition, and with feelings of revenge after last year’s Tour, where we lost Caleb after a crash in the first bunch sprint.
But this year again, the team has placed their hopes of victory on Caleb, and they are confident in him:
We’re confident that we can succeed with this train in the four or five sprint opportunities that are available. We believe Caleb is the fastest man in the peloton. He’s already proven that
Said the team’s general manager.
They believe that they have brought with them a well-balanced team where every player complements the other. Ewan gave an outstanding performance at the Tour last year, but his victories came to a halt because of the broken collarbone.
🇩🇰 #TDF2022
Just wow.
Joining @ReinvanRensburg on stage for the team presentation in Copenhagen 🤳 pic.twitter.com/JoRsTXfpmg
— Lotto Soudal (@Lotto_Soudal) June 29, 2022
Recently, he withdrew from the “Cursed Giro”, to focus more on the Tour de France. His comeback has proven good for him since he took many wins. Ewan’s practiced was built around Rüdiger Selig and Roger Kluge, but the team signed Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg and Frederik Frison among other names. Nothing can shake Caleb’s confidence this time, not even a changed “Roster”. He looked sure of his team as he said:
They are very strong, t’s the best team that we can bring, but we have to change our tactics a little bit.
He further discussed the tactics their team will be employing at the Tour:
The most important thing my teammates have to do is to put me in a good position at one [kilometer] from the finish, and I can handle it from there
Evan said that he needs his team’s support for the only last 10 kilometers to take the win:
So, they don’t necessarily have to drop me at 200 metres to go. If they can keep me out of the wind in the last 10 km and get me in good position under the flamme rouge, I can finish it myself
The last Tour Caleb got to finish was of 2020, so this time around, he plans to finish the Tour. This will be the first Grand Tour in the last three years completed by the Lotto Soudal star. He added to the matter saying:
I haven’t completed a Grand Tour since 2020, so just for my legs, it would be good to finish. I’ve been focusing a lot on the climbing to really get through it. If I stay healthy, I want to make it to Paris for sure
We do agree with him when he said:
To win the sprint there – every sprinter wants to be first
With everyone’s head in the game and everyone aimed for the big win, this Tour is going to be an interesting one to watch. Stay tuned for more updates from the Tour starting this Friday, in Copenhagen.
Also Read: Annemiek Van Vleuten To Bid Farewell To Her Career By 2023
Featured Image Via YouTube/ Lotto Soudal
