The merger between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto claimed another victim this week, Belgian rider Tom Paquot announcing his retirement from the sport at just 26.
At the end of a three-year contract with Intermarché-Wanty, the Walloon rider was unable to secure a ride in what is a rapidly contracting job market for riders. The peloton has been badly affected this year, with the merger between the two Belgian outfits now dragging on for almost five months since it became public during the Tour de France.
