Initially expected to compete with the RadioShack team in 2012, the Belgian rider Gianni Meersman looks instead set to be part of the new Lotto-Belisol setup until the end of 2013. The 26 year old is reported by Het Nieuwsblad and other Belgian media as having inked a deal with the squad.
Meersman will race alongside Jurgen Van den Broeck, Andre Greipel and others as part of the predominantly-Belgian team. Other new signings include Leif Hoste (Katusha), Greg Henderson (Sky Procycling) and Lars Bak (HTC Highroad).
The team is one half of the split of the current Omega Pharma – Lotto squad. One reason for the division is that it wants to be more of a Belgian-focussed setup, with the sponsors preferring to develop the national scene rather than feature many foreign riders.
Meersman had a solid season with FDJ this year, winning a stage plus the overall in the Circuit des Ardennes, netting second in the Belgian road race championships behind Philippe Gilbert, second in the Route Adélie de Vitré and Paris-Toryes and third in Halle – Ingooigem.
The RadioShack squad is disbanding, with the sponsors, some of the management and several riders moving across to the Leopard-Trek setup. Unlike Lotto Belisol, it is still uncertain about getting a ProTeam licence. The UCI has twice turned down its application, although it still has the possibility of making the grade if it can satisfy all of the UCI’s conditions before the final team categories for 2012 are drawn up.