The Lotto-Intermarché Women’s team will start its 2026 season at the Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana. This year, the squad takes a step up to procontinental level, a move that comes with plenty of eagerness to learn. “There is potential in each of our riders and we are going to bring that out,” says sports director Grace Verbeke.
The training camp in Spain concludes today and for Anna Van Wersch, Annelies Nijssen, Elisabeth Ebras, Katrijn De Clercq, Linda Riedmann, Marieke Meert and Romina Hinojosa Cruz, it is a direct trip from L’Alfàs del Pi to Gandia, where the first stage of the four-day Setmana Ciclista Volta Femenina de la Comunitat Valenciana will take place. It also marks the official start of the Lotto-Intermarché Ladies’ season. “I feel the team is ready,” says sports director Grace Verbeke. “Over the winter and during our recent training camp, we have taken a good step forward. Valencia is not really our type of race, as we lack seasoned climbers, but it is an excellent preparation for our spring classics campaign. It will be about racing attractively, putting ourselves in the spotlight, showing ourselves in the finale and trying to stay in touch with the WorldTour teams as much as possible.”
Strengthened in Depth
Thanks to the move to procontinental level, Lotto-Intermarché also looked to strengthen the squad. With the arrival of, among others, Linda Riedmann (Visma-Lease a Bike), Estonian champion Elisabeth Ebras and Marieke Meert (VolkerWessels Cycling Team), the team has gained considerable depth. “I am really looking forward to seeing what Riedmann can show this season. After her four years at Visma, you can already feel how she passes on her experience to the other girls. Linda will have a programme tailored to her strengths- the classics up to Roubaix, followed by Amstel Gold Race and Brabantse Pijl- and she will be able to go for her own chances. Of course, we are also counting again on Katrijn De Clercq. For the Vuelta, we are looking at Marieke Meert, but also at Romina Hinojosa. And we should not underestimate Ebras either. The spring campaign is completely new to her- she has never raced those events before- but she has come out of the winter in very good shape.”
Lotto-Intermarché Ladies also continue to invest in youth, with Ilken Seynaeve and Lani Wittevrongel remaining on board. “When expanding the squad, we also kept an eye on Belgian talent from other sports,” Verbeke adds. “Annelies Nijssen comes from athletics. I saw a lot of talent and a great mindset during the training camp. And then there is Sandrine Tas, who will join the team in a few weeks. She is currently competing in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games.”
Lotto-Intermarché Ladies enter the new cycling season with a particularly versatile squad, which makes Grace Verbeke optimistic: “There is potential in every one of our riders. They are at a good level, they motivate each other and now it is about getting everything out of what is inside. Together with a strong race strategy, that can result in a fine and attractive season.”
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