Lotto-Dstny appoint Stéphane Heulot as new manager

Lotto-Dstny have completed their search for a new general manager, hiring former rider and team boss Stéphane Heulot. 

Heulot was a professional cyclist from 1992 to 2002, his best moments coming in 1996 with the French national title and a stint in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, although he had to abandon the race through injury. 

Since retiring, Heulot moved to management and ran the Sojasun squad from 2009-2013, before joining Cannondale as a performance director in 2014. In 2018 he had a stint with Rally Cycling - now Human Powered Health - as the US team's European General Manager.

Heulot, who has lived in Belgium for the past decade, has also worked as a business coach. 

"I am very honored to get the confidence of the Board of Directors and become a part of this beautiful team, based in the heartland of cycling," Heulot said. "As a rider, I have spent hours and hours in the peloton with the Lotto riders. During all those years, it has always been clear what this team stands for: passion, striving for excellence, ethics in sportsmanship, riding for success and with bravery.

"We are facing a challenging time, but I am ready to take on the responsibility to lead us towards the next chapter. Like me, the Lotto Dstny team has always had a strong focus on talent development. Helping the women’s team take the next steps, is a challenge I very much look forward to as well."

The search for a new manager at Lotto-Dstny - currently Lotto Soudal - began when it emerged that John Lelangue would not continue in his role after four years in charge. In that time, the team slid to relegation from the WorldTour based on the three-year ranking system, meaning they will race as a second-division outfit from 2023-2025. 

In a significant management reshuffle, Lelangue had taken over from Paul De Geyter, who had spent less than a year at the helm, while previous boss Marc Sergeant was pushed into a less influential role before leaving altogether at the end of 2021, alongside fellow stalwart Herman Frison. At that point, Yana Seel was brought in from Astana to take the role of Chief Business Officer.

Alongside Heulot, Lotto-Dstny have promoted Kurt Van de Wouwer from development team manager to sporting manager, forming a management trio in the shape of Heulot, Seel, and Van de Wouwer. 

"With the support of the strong, reliable and loyal sponsors of the team - Lotto, the historical partner of the team, and Dstny the newcomer - I want us to get results and win races," said Heulot.  

"The sponsors believe in this team to increase their reputation in Belgium and abroad and I am convinced we can give back to them what they give to this team. There is a group of strong and talented riders, supported by sports manager Kurt Van de Wouwer, the performance team, the medical team, the trainers, sports directors, soigneurs, mechanics, administrative team and all the suppliers. It will be an honor to lead all of them. 

"All those years in cycling and the fact that I have been living in Belgium for the past years, have taught me where the heart of cycling beats. As general manager, I will be the biggest fan of Lotto Dstny with the ambition to bring it back to the WorldTour and to guarantee its bright future for the next decades."