Belgian sprinter got a spot at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe thanks to the Lazkano-case: 'It’s a no-brainer to sign'

For many riders, the merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty turned into a nightmare. Some were even forced to look for a new team very late in the season. Arne Marit was one of them, and for a moment, the fear really set in. But when you end up signing for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, all is quickly forgotten - even if the way he arrived there was rather unusual.

The sprinter felt relatively secure at Intermarché-Wanty thanks to his consistent performances. Still, he could not stay on with the merged squad. “The boss of Wanty told me: ‘We have to be honest, we already have a lot of riders with the same profile as you in the team. It’s difficult to give all those similar types their chances,’” Marit explained to Sporza.

What made it worse was the timing: the decision was only communicated in mid-October, while Marit still had two stages to complete at the Tour of Guangxi, his last race of the season. A sense of was understandable. “The first thing that went through my mind was: ‘So late in the season, almost all team spots are already filled. Where am I supposed to go?’”

Talks with most teams soon led nowhere. Then, suddenly, good news arrived out of the blue. “It came out that Oier Lazkano had abnormal blood values. That suddenly opened up a spot at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Thanks to Allan Peiper, I got a call from the team’s new sporting director, Zakkari Dempster. He told me they were still looking for a classics-type rider.”

That phone call started the negotiations, which ultimately resulted in a contract. “When a team like Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe contacts you, it’s a no-brainer to sign.” A moment of celebration for Marit, who received congratulations almost immediately from a fellow Belgian: Remco Evenepoel. “In the evening I got a message from Remco saying: ‘Welcome to the team, amigo!’”

The two go way back - more than eight years, in fact. “When Remco rode his first race as a junior, he sent me a message asking: ‘Do you maybe have some tips and tricks for me?’” Marit recalls. Those tips were put to good use. “A few days later, Remco finished 10th in the Brabant provincial time trial championships. The crazy thing was that he was the only one riding a standard road bike. I already knew then: ‘This is no ordinary smurf.’”

The two have known each other for a long time, for more than eight years in fact. 'When Remco rode his first race as a junior, he sent me a message: "Do you possibly have some tips and tricks for me? The Belgian used those tips all too well. 'Remco finished 10th at the Brabant time trial championships a few days later. The punishing thing was that he was the only one riding a regular road bike. I knew right then: 'This is no ordinary smurf.'"

As a fast classics rider, Marit will certainly be valuable to his new team, even if he will not always be sprinting for himself. “It will obviously be more difficult to go for my own chances, because Danny van Poppel and Jordi Meeus are a step above me,” he admits. “So I’ll often be leading out the sprint. But I’ve also been promised that I’ll get my own opportunities.”

The Dutch national champion, in particular, serves as an example. “He also started here as a lead-out rider and now gets carte blanche. We’re following a similar path, as we both rode for Intermarché. When I see how Van Poppel is exceeding himself here, that’s something I should be aiming for in the longer term as well.”