The announcement by the UCI of the list of the TOP 15 teams confirms the status of the new Lotto Cycling Project. This position allows us to arrange the final details in the coming weeks. By the end of November we would get absolute certainty about our World Tour license.

The departure of Philippe Gilbert obviously weighed heavily in the ranking, but it is clear that the current team still has what it takes to compete in important races. Lotto was able to keep important riders like Jurgen Van den Broeck, Andre Greipel, Jelle Vanendert and Jurgen Roelandts.

The Lotto team is strengthened with Lars Bak Ytting (ex HTC), Joost Van Leijen (ex Vacansoleil), and sprinter Greg Henderson (ex Sky).

There are also a lot of young talents who will be joining us. Young talents Tosh van der Sande and Brian Bulgac (Davo-Lotto), Gaetan Bille Jonas Vangenechten, Sander Cordeel, Frédérique Robert and Dennis Vanendert will be given the opportunity to compete at the highest level.

Mehdi Sohrabi will also be joining Lotto. This 30 year old Iranian, who already rode on a Ridley bike, was by far the best rider of the last two years in the Asian continental ranking. With 27 victories this season alone, he is called the Asian Philippe Gilbert. With this transfer, Lotto wants to take part in the further globalization of cycling. Now it is up to Sohrabi to prove himself in Europe.

Riders Lotto Team 2012:
• Bart De Clercq
• Francis De Greef
• Jens Debusschere
• Kenny Dehaes
• Gert Dockx
• André Greipel
• Adam Hansen
• Olivier Kaisen
• Maarten Neyens
• Vincente Reynes
• Jurgen Roelandts
• Marcel Sieberg
• Jurgen Van Den Broeck
• Jurgen Vandewalle
• Jelle Vanendert
• Frederik Willems
• Lars Bak (ex HTC)
• Gaetan Bille (ex Bruxelles-Wallonie)
• Brian Bulgac (neo)
• Sander Cordeel (neo)
• Greg Henderson (ex Sky)
• Frederique Robert (ex Quickstep)
• Mehdi Sohrabi (ex Tabriz Petrochemical cycling team)
• Tosh Van der Sande (neo)
• Dennis Vanendert (neo)
• Jonas Vangenechten (ex Bruxelles-Wallonie)
• Joost Van Leijen (ex Vacansoleil)