A major financial obstacle is delaying the merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty to form a single WorldTour team in 2026. According to Belgian media reports, particularly Het Laatste Nieuws, the Intermarché-Wanty team has accumulated €2.5 million in debt, approximately 15% of their annual budget.

This situation had immediate consequences: Lotto was forced to reconsider its previous promise to its employees to guarantee all jobs in the future unified team. Nine Lotto employees, including three mechanics and a team doctor, were informed last week that they would lose their jobs.

Meanwhile, Intermarché-Wanty is seeking to improve its financial situation by putting some of its assets, including a team bus, up for sale.

The October 15 deadline set by the UCI for the submission of the teams' financial portfolios for next season represents a crucial moment for the completion of the merger.

Despite these difficulties, Sporza believes the merger should still go forward. The future of one of the team's stars, Biniam Girmay, remains uncertain. He was initially linked with Israel-Premier Tech but could still remain with the new unified team.

It was also confirmed that the development teams for both teams will continue to exist separately, while the Lotto women's team is expected to be promoted to the ProTeam level. The first training camp for the new, unified men's team is scheduled for late October.