Intermarché-Wanty, a World Tour team, is €3 million in debt and now has turned to the idea of a merger with Belgian rivals Lotto. Its former director, Hilaire Van der Schueren, has expressed his frustration (Photo: Cor Vos)

A former director at Intermarché-Wanty, who was an important figure in growing the team into a World Tour outfit, has criticised its decline as it now merges with rival Belgian squad Lotto. He said the team was €3 million in debt, which had hastened its decline, after spending too much in the wrong areas.

Hilaire Van der Schueren also said some of the riders who had failed to win races in recent years would have won several under different management. And he could also not understand why so many of the riders were told to ride in support of Biniam Girmay.

“Three million euros in debt,” he remarked in an interview with Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. “Euro, eh. Three million Belgian francs you can solve. But three million euros? I can’t wrap my head around it.”

He also claimed he told team chief executive Jean-François Bourlart to be very careful as others were spending the team’s money unwisely.

“I warned JF. ‘Wake up, they’re spending your money. Don’t you feel that?’” He added while Bourlart told him the expenditure was aimed at making the team more professional, he believed some of the spending was clearly uncalled for.

Van der Schueren said while Girmay must be a protected rider in races, this had been done at the expense of every other rider on teams with him (Photo: Marco Alpozzi)

“I agree with professionalising, but only if you have the money for it,” he said. However, he made it clear he did not blame Bourlart for the debt, and now the end of the team as a standalone entity.

He insisted some of CEO Bourlart’s revenue-raising ideas had saved the team in recent years. But he was frustrated at the team’s demise, especially in light of some of the expenditure.

“Do you think it’s normal that a team with no money goes on a training camp in December to Albir with one hundred people? Do you know what that costs? The entire development squad was there. In January, fine, but December? We couldn’t afford that.”

Van der Schueren (77) joined the team in 2014, said he brought in €1 million in sponsorship money and that he worked his first year for free. He said when he joined up, there wasn’t even the proper budget in place to run a team.

“I introduced Jean-François and the people of Wanty to ASO, after which we could go to the Tour in 2017. I didn’t do anything alone, but the Wanty team is also a bit my team. I put so much energy into it. That’s why it hurts to see them now heading towards the abyss.”

And though he was frustrated at the debt building up, and now the merger with Lotto, he also said he could not understand why the team didn’t do much better in races over the last two seasons.

While Girmay – the first black African to win a Grand Tour stage – is an icon, the sprinter failed to win a race this year, despite winning three Tour de France stages and the points jersey last year.

Belgian sprinter Gerben Thijssen won two races for the team in the first weeks of the 2024, but nothing since. Van der Schueren also believed Lorenzo Rota should have won races over the last couple of years and could not understand recent results, especially this year.

 “Everything is for one man now. I understand you must protect Biniam, of course, but not with six riders. How often do you still see an Intermarché–Wanty rider in the break?”

He also pointed to a large number off staff leaving Intermarché Wanty of late, and was doubtful about how its merger with Lotto would play out. “What gives me the least confidence: I see the same people who spent the money now being the first to make the switch.”