Intermarché-Wanty under review: A modest team that keeps surprising – what's in store for Girmay in 2025?

To be fair, Intermarché-Wanty had a respectable season in one-day races, securing some impressive wins. Laurenz Rex's victory at Le Samyn was a significant achievement in the spring. Gerben Thijssen and Girmay also triggered fireworks early on in the season with wins in the Trofeo Palma and the Surf Coast Classic respectively. Not exactly insignificant races to add to your resume in January.

The winning continued into the summer, with Girmay taking the Circuito Franco Belge. But perhaps the most heartwarming moment was Taco van der Hoorn’s triumphant return in the Elfstedenrace in the Netherlands in late summer. While these wins were notable, fans couldn't help but notice that the team fell short in capturing victories in the biggest races.

How did the key riders fare? Girmay, despite showing promise, didn't quite break through as a top contender in the classics. His second-place finishes at Rund um Köln and the Brussels Cycling Classic were valuable for the team’s overall points tally, but he managed only a seventh-place finish at Gent-Wevelgem in major races. It's worth mentioning that Girmay's performance was affected by a serious crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen, which took longer to recover from than expected. By the fall, he was able to place second in Québec and third at the BEMER Cyclassics, but overall results from the rest of the team were limited.

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When it comes to stage races, we can be brief: what Girmay and his team accomplished in the Tour de France was nothing short of astonishing. Securing three stage wins in a fiercely competitive sprint field was a major highlight. Mike Teunissen's lead-outs were perfectly executed, with Thijssen as a backup sprinter stepping up when needed. The team even captured the green jersey, making Girmay the first African to ever do so in the Tour.

For a team like Intermarché-Wanty, which operates on a modest budget, these results were huge. Girmay’s growth throughout the Tour was inspiring, and his performances will be remembered by fans for years. While the team may have seen more consistent results in previous years, like 2022, the focus in 2024 was on Girmay’s standout achievements.

Rune Herregodts added to the team's success by winning the ZLM Tour, and Thijssen secured a stage win in the Algarve. Louis Meintjes took a stage victory in the Tour of the Basque Country, but overall, the team's other results in both major and minor tours were unremarkable. Girmay's wins masked what was otherwise a fairly quiet year for Intermarché in the stage racing scene.

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Most of our staff agreed that without the Tour de France results, Intermarché-Wanty's season wouldn't have been particularly noteworthy. But in cycling, the Tour stands above all else, and winning three stages and a classification counts for a lot for this humble Belgian squad. The final score, a 7.7, is well-earned for the supermarket-sponsored team.

Intermarché-Wanty faces an important winter and spring ahead. Key figures behind the successes of 2024 won't be with the team anymore in 2025. Rune Herregodts has moved to UAE Team Emirates, while lead-out specialist Mike Teunissen has joined Astana. The team also said goodbye to veterans Boy van Poppel, Rein Taaramäe, as well as Lilian Calmejane, who retired.

Another notable departure is young talent Madis Mihkels, who joined EF Education-EasyPost. Taco van der Hoorn’s future remains uncertain. On the plus side, the team has signed Jonas Rutsch and Alexander Kamp, both expected to bring experience and bolster the classics squad. Louis Barré could be an unexpected asset if he carries over his late-season form from Arkéa-B&B Hotels. Additionally, Huub Artz, who won the European U23 championship, has been promoted from the development team.

Perhaps the biggest news for 2025: Biniam Girmay extended his contract earlier this year, which is a major boost for the team's fans.

Incoming:Louis Barré (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Alexander Kamp (Tudor Pro Cycling), Jonas Rutsch (EF Education-EasyPost), Kamiel Bonneu (Flanders-Baloise), Luca Van Boven (Bingoal WB), Huub Artz (Wanty-Reuz-Technord)

Outgoing (provisional list): Mike Teunissen (Astana Qazaqstan), Rune Herregodts (UAE Team Emirates), Baptiste Planckaert (Van Rysel-Roubaix), Madis Mihkels (EF Education-EasyPost), Rein Taaramäe (Kinan Racing Team), Taco van der Hoorn (still unknown), Lilian Calmejane and Boy van Poppel (both retired)

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Let's be honest: no one expected Girmay's Tour success to be so significant. Every year, Intermarché-Wanty manages to surprise, and in 2024, Girmay was the standout. The question now is whether the Eritrean star can maintain this level in 2025. At just 24, he has many opportunities ahead, with a Tour route that suits him in the first week, where he could hunt for stage wins and maybe another green jersey. If he also continues to grow in the classics, he’ll be the one to watch. But there’s a risk here for Intermarché-Wanty – how will the team fare without their Tour superstar’s momentum?

It’s worth noting that the team still has Thijssen and Arne Marit, two fast riders who could step up. Thijssen, in particular, is expected to make significant strides and might even take on leadership roles in other tours. Riders like Rex and Georg Zimmermann, who are strong climbers and sprinters, also have room for growth and could play key roles in classics and smaller stage races in 2025.

The white-and-green-and-blue team's depth in mountain stages remains limited, though. Meintjes had a tough season, and expectations for him are steadily declining. Barré might focus on general classifications in smaller races, and the same could go for Kobe Goossens. But keep in mind: Intermarché’s squad includes sixteen riders aged 25 or younger, so don’t be surprised if one of them steps up and surprises us.

1. Huub Artz
2. Louis Barré
3. Kamiel Bonneu
4. Vito Braet
5. Francesco Busatto
6. Kevin Colleoni
7. Dries De Pooter
8. Alexy Faure Prost
9. Biniam Girmay
10. Kobe Goossens
11. Alexander Kamp
12. Gerben Kuypers
13. Arne Marit
14. Louis Meintjes
15. Hugo Page
16. Tom Paquot
17. Simone Petilli
18. Adrien Petit
19. Laurenz Rex
20. Lorenzo Rota
21. Jonas Rutsch
22. Dion Smith
23. Gerben Thijssen
24. Luca Van Boven
25. Gijs Van Hoecke 
26. Roel Van Sintmaartensdijk
27. Georg Zimmermann