Arne Marit and Tom Paquot have extended their contracts with Jean-François Bourlart’s team. Having joined Intermarché-Wanty together in 2023, the Belgians Arne Marit and Tom Paquot are currently competing in their first Vuelta a España.
During his first season at the highest level with Intermarché-Wanty, Arne Marit (25) finished in the top ten fourteen times, including a fourth place in the sprint at the Giro d’Italia, his first completed Grand Tour, as well as a podium finish at the Tour de Wallonie and multiple placings on World Tour events such as Paris-Nice, the Tour of Catalonia and the Renewi Tour.
This season, he came close to victory with a second place at the Tour of Valencia followed by another at the Tour of Catalonia, his first WorldTour podium. Despite an ankle injury at the Grand Prix de l’Escaut that kept him out of competition for two months, Marit returned strong at the start of La Vuelta, where he obtained a fourth and an eighth place in the first week.
His compatriot Tom Paquot (24) is appreciated by his peers as a model teammate, often mobilized at the front of the peloton to control breakaways, protect the climbers from the wind or lead out his sprinters. In this role, he has notably contributed to the successes of Biniam Girmay in Australia, Mike Teunissen in Norway and the very first success of Hugo Page at the Tour du Limousin. The Walloon from Rocourt is competing in his first Grand Tour at the Vuelta.
Arne Marit: “Extending with Intermarché-Wanty for two more years was obvious for me. I went through a very difficult period mentally after my crash at the Grand Prix de l’Escaut, but the team always supported me. This unwavering support did me a lot of good, it’s what allowed me to return to my level for the end of this season. Intermarché-Wanty believes in me and my potential, I can’t wait to continue my development in the coming years in this family where I have a lot of fun. Since my arrival, I have already realized a dream, that of participating in a Grand Tour. Now, to thank Intermarché-Wanty for their trust, I want to bring home my first victory. I have reached the podium several times in the colors of Intermarché-Wanty, but now I really have to cross that finish line first. That will be my big goal. In addition, the team is focusing more on the classics, an area where I can also exploit my strengths, but also at the service of the team alongside Biniam Girmay, we can achieve great things.”
Tom Paquot: “As a Walloon, it is a pride to represent the colors of the first Walloon team in the World Tour. Since joining Intermarché-Wanty, I have progressed a lot as a cyclist, our Performance Manager Aike Visbeek has contributed a lot to this. Together, we had defined a plan for my development and we can be satisfied with the progress made. Initially, I wanted to distinguish myself in the Ardennes classics. But gradually, I discovered qualities on the flat, where I could be useful for my leaders. I often rode on World Tour events during the spring. I learned a lot by riding in this team, alongside great riders like Biniam Girmay, Louis Meintjes or Lorenzo Rota. Currently at La Vuelta, the great experience of Rein Taaramäe is a real reference for my first Grand Tour. The family atmosphere in the team is very important to me, both with the riders and the staff, the effects have already proven to be beneficial on performance. All these factors prove that I am in the ideal environment to continue my career. In the future, I would like to become a road captain, become a reference in a support role, make myself even more useful to our sprinters as a leadout.”
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager):
“We are delighted that two promising Belgian riders are committing to our team for the long term. Arne and Tom have discovered the highest level with us, and they have both experienced a great evolution within our WorldTeam over the past two seasons. Together, we will continue on this path to reach new heights. Arne Marit is well on his way to completing his second Grand Tour with Intermarché-Wanty. In the long term, Arne will evolve mainly with the classics core, where he will take on the role of sprinter. Tom Paquot has become a pillar of the team. He has demonstrated that he can be a valuable support rider for leaders like Biniam Girmay and Louis Meintjes. On this Vuelta, which is his first Grand Tour, he has gained even more experience to eventually establish himself as a reference and a model among our riders.”
