Stéphane Heulot departs Lotto ahead of possible merger with Intermarché-Wanty
Lotto team manager Stéphane Heulot will leave his position with the team after three years, the team said in a press release. Heulot, who took over for John Lelangue after 2022, has presided over the team's run in the second-tier ProTeam division and its likely return to the WorldTour in 2026.
But his departure also comes at a time of heightened uncertainty, as Lotto is said to be exploring a merger with WorldTeam Intermarché-Wanty as both teams face financial stress. Wielerflits reports that the merger talks are continuing, with Lotto set to become the official UCI-recognized paying agent. The practical effect of that would be that Lotto riders' contracts remain in force while Intermarché riders – including 2024 Tour de France triple stage winner Biniam Girmay – would be released and free to seek new deals with the merged team or elsewhere.
