Lotto-Intermarché suddenly hits top form: ‘This is the best victory of my career’

Lotto-Intermarché are certainly hitting form at the right time. The Belgian team have not always delivered this season, particularly during the spring Classics, but with the final weeks of the campaign approaching, things have suddenly clicked into gear. On Friday, they were celebrating yet again — and this time on two different fronts.

Before this week’s racing began, Lotto-Intermarché’s most recent victory dated back to June 24, when Huub Artz won the Dutch national time trial title. That was the ProTeam’s tenth victory of the season. On Friday, Jenno Berckmoes added number 11 by winning the decisive Geraardsbergen Stage of the Renewi Tour.

The 25-year-old Belgian once again showed just how dangerous he is on the short, steep climbs of his home country. After winning the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen in 2024 and proving the strongest on the hills of the Baloise Belgium Tour last year, Berckmoes struck again in a finale featuring both the Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg.

Berckmoes escaped in the finale alongside Alec Segaert of Bahrain Victorious before eventually dropping his compatriot. “Alec was a good breakaway companion, but I was a little afraid of him because I know how strong he is. He was doing some huge turns, but in the end I was just a little bit better,” a proud Berckmoes said afterwards to the Belgian media.

Along with the stage victory, the young puncher also took over the overall race lead, with two tricky stages still to come. “This is the best victory of my career,” he said, describing himself as “absolutely delighted.” Berckmoes was not getting carried away, however: “There are still two difficult days ahead. The overall victory is definitely not secured yet.”

Lotto-Intermarché’s development team are enjoying a similarly impressive run at the Tour de l’Avenir. Racing as Lotto-Groupe Wanty, the squad followed up their opening-stage victory by winning again on day two. Dutch rider Keije Solen was the fastest in Friday’s sprint, after Niels Driesen had taken victory on the opening day. Driesen also retained the leader’s jersey, giving the Belgian development squad a perfect two-from-two start.