Belgium analyzes Van Gils saga with Boonen and Van Aert in mind: "You're instantly labeled as greedy"

Maxim Van Gils officially requested to leave Lotto Dstny last Tuesday. While that's the headline, behind the scenes, the Belgian team is trying to reach an agreement with the Belgian star. This unexpected contract situation has sparked plenty of questions in the cycling world. Back in Belgium, Van Gils' home country, the case has people talking and dissecting every angle. So, what’s next for the versatile rider?

It almost seems like a trend in cycling: riders unhappy with their current situation indicating they want to leave. However, that’s an oversimplification, according to Yannick Prévost, manager of Wout van Aert (among others). "I honestly don’t think it’s a recent phenomenon. If you look at incidents over the last ten years, there have been very few."

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It's uncommon but not unheard of in cycling. Situations change, and sometimes adjustments are needed, former manager Paul De Geyter explained in an interview with Sporza. "In the past, I’ve helped a few riders switch teams before their contracts ended," said De Geyter, who oversaw Tom Boonen’s move from US Postal to Quick-Step in 2002. However, Yannick Prévost believes these moves should only happen in extreme cases and warns against a rise in one-sided contract terminations. "We need to be careful to prevent this from getting out of hand," he added.

According to Jan Bakelants, Van Gils has outgrown his contract. He has made more progress than initially expected. "I was very surprised that Van Gils extended his contract this spring. His manager at the time didn’t do a great job or wasn’t convinced of his rider’s potential. After that contract extension, Van Gils reaffirmed his abilities in the Ardennes classics, which should have signaled that he deserved better pay."

Is that a reason to become impatient? De Geyter draws a comparison to soccer. "If a player from a smaller football club can transfer to a bigger one, everyone sees it as a logical career step." The analysts involved believe that money isn’t necessarily the decisive factor. "When a rider moves from Lotto-Dstny to a team with better support, that rider is instantly labeled as greedy. I think that is completely wrong," concludes De Geyter, logically. Lotto is still waiting on a new sponsor, and several riders have previously considered leaving. In short: to be continued...