As expected, Intermarché-Wanty is missing from the provisional UCI list of WorldTour license applications for the upcoming season. Lotto did submit the required documents on time, with the application reportedly being a joint one from the two Belgian teams. The absence of the Walloon team's registration means, according to UCI regulations, that riders are allowed to terminate their contracts prematurely. For team leader Biniam Girmay, this appears to open the way to a move to a new team.
Last week, news broke that the merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty was moving closer. Ahead of the October 15 deadline, Het Nieuwsblad reported that a single WorldTour license had been jointly applied for under the name 'Lotto-Intermarché'. However, on the official list released by the international cycling union on Monday evening, that name does not appear. 'Lotto Cycling Team' does, though. The registration of Intermarché-Wanty is missing as expected.
In the coming weeks, the UCI will review all license files, including Lotto’s. Eventually, the team hopes to publicly share more details about the further development of the project. Meanwhile, various teams are pursuing several riders from Intermarché-Wanty, and a few Lotto riders are reportedly in demand as well. The merger project involves more contracts than the UCI permits.
Riders from Intermarché-Wanty allowed to leave
According to the UCI regulations – and subject to some applicable provisions – riders from teams that have not yet submitted an application can terminate their contracts prematurely. This right disappears if the team manages to register before the final deadline.
Therefore, riders from Intermarché-Wanty are currently permitted to leave the Walloon formation early. For example, team leader Biniam Girmay - who reportedly already has an agreement with the current Israel-Premier Tech squad - could make an immediate switch.
In the past, we have seen similar early departures due to a team missing from the provisional registration list in women’s cycling. When Ceratizit-WNT initially did not submit an official license application last year, sprinter Cedrine Kerbaol took the safe route. The French rider reached an agreement with EF Education-Oatly despite having an ongoing contract.
