Lotto Soudal announced Sunday that they have completed their 2020 roster after signing Belgium's Steff Cras and Great Britain's Matthew Holmes, each with a two-year contract. The 2020 team gathered this weekend at the team's Soudal headquarters in Turnhout, Belgium.
Cras, 23, was part of the under-23 Lotto Soudal programme before moving to the WorldTour ranks with Team Katusha-Alpecin for the last two seasons. His successes include top 10s at Arctic Race of Norway, Ronde de l'Isard, Okolo Slovenska, Tour Alsace and Tour de l'Avenir. He competed in his first Grand Tour at the Vuelta a España in September.
"For me it is like coming home again," Cras said. "Before becoming pro I’ve raced already two seasons in the U23 Lotto Soudal squad. I am happy with this move after a season that started well in Oman, before getting some health issues during the season.
"Fortunately the season ended on a good note. I finished my first Grand Tour in a good shape and performed well in the last races of the year. I am already hungry to prove myself in 2020 for Lotto Soudal.”
Holmes, 25, raced the last six seasons for the British continental Madison Genesis team. In 2019, he finished 6th in the Tour de Yorkshire and 4th in the Tokyo 2020 Test Event.
"After Tokyo, Lotto Soudal contacted me," Holmes said. "I thought I was dreaming until I could finally sign my contract yesterday. It will be a big step from racing in Britain to racing all over the world but I feel I am ready for it and the team has faith in me. I am thrilled. I will mainly focus on the smaller stage races in a role as a helper who will get his own chances as well."
Lotto Soudal roster for 2020
- Sander Armée
- Steff Cras
- Jasper De Buyst
- Thomas De Gendt
- John Degenkolb
- Stan Dewulf
- Jonathan Dibben
- Caleb Ewan
- Frederik Frison
- Philippe Gilbert
- Kobe Goossens
- Carl Fredrik Hagen
- Adam Hansen
- Matthew Holmes
- Rasmus Iversen
- Roger Kluge
- Nikolas Maes
- Tomasz Marczyński
- Rémy Mertz
- Stefano Oldani
- Gerben Thijssen
- Tosh Van der Sande
- Brian Van Goethem
- Brent Van Moer
- Harm Vanhoucke
- Jelle Wallays
- Tim Wellens
