Hugo Page (21 year old) and Baptiste Planckaert (33 year old) extended their contract with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux with two extra seasons, connecting them to the Belgian team until the end of 2025 and the end of 2024 respectively. This year, both riders collected a series of good results in difficult races and also played an important role in the performances of their teammates, for example as part of the sprint train in the successes of Gerben Thijssen in the Dunkirk Four Day and the Tour de Pologne.
Young Frenchman Hugo Page showed himself from his step up to the pro ranks in the colors of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux with an attractive racing style, which led to results on home soil in races such as the Classic Loire Atlantique (5th), La Roue Tourangelle (11th), La Route Adélie de Vitré (15th) or in the general classification of the Dunkirk Four Day. In June he distinguished himself for the first time on the highest level in the Critérium du Dauphiné, by sprinting three times among the five fastest riders in the peloton and wearing the green points jersey for one day.
Baptiste Planckaert joined the team of Jean-François Bourlart at the beginning of 2021 and finished in the top fifteen of thirteen different once day races since then. He also distinguished himself in his first participation in Paris-Roubaix (19th) in October last year, a couple of months before contributing to the team’s collective performance in the Hell of North (23rd) and finishing fifth in the final classification of the Dunkirk Four Day one month later.
« I'm very happy that I made the choice to step up to the pro ranks in Belgian team. I have fun within Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux thanks to the good atmosphere and the excellent team spirit, which are essential factors to perform. The team invests a lot in my development, that's why it was important for me to confirm that our collaboration is a long term project. From the start there was a clear plan to make me stronger progressively. For example, last month I went on an altitude training camp for the first time. I want to continue learning with this team and I can't wait to discover my first Monument and make my Grand Tour debut. » « I'm also very grateful towards the sports direction for regularly giving me carte blanche and this from my first months as a pro. I'm happy that I could reward this sign of confidence by several results. For example in the Criterium du Dauphiné, in which I seized a first opportunity to show myself among the international elite. The privilege to wear the green jersey makes me dream of more and motivates me to continue working hard for my goals. I'm eager to finish my first season as a pro with a victory. My programme until the end of the season contains a lot of French races, starting with the Bretagne Classic - Ouest France this Sunday, in which I'll race for more than 250 kilometer for the first time. »
« Thanks to Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, I could realize a childhood dream last autumn by making my debut in Paris-Roubaix. This journey of discovery in horrible weather conditions is with no doubt one of my best memories since my arrival. I'm also thinking of the races in which I contributed to the victories of my teammates and not to forget our collective performance in Paris-Roubaix last spring. On that day we managed to surpass ourselves thanks to our experimented team on the one hand and our detailed preparation on the other. We did the recon of each cobble section, tested tire pressure and worked with NEWMEN on new rims for the classics. The focus on details within Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert is a decisive factor in our performances. » « I hope to shine again in the spring classics the next two seasons. Our chances on the victory with Biniam Girmay, among others, are an important source of motivation, just like the role I can play for our young riders. I'm convinced that as a team captain I can contribute to the development of the five young Belgian riders who will soon join our team, for example by sharing my tactical vision. It's a great feeling to be part of a growing team and it's an honor that the Performance Cel also for me personally keeps searching for improvements. Just like this two year contract it shows their confidence in my capabilities. »
« Hugo Page is one of our young talents with large physical abilities and a great potential. From his arrival we invested in his development by offering him an extended race programme with World Tour stage races to make him stronger and cobble classics to make him gain experience. With the help of our trainers and our sports directors he managed to perform with more regularity. Hugo made a clear progression this year, so with the members of the Performance team we can start focusing on the details. I'm convinced that our efforts with this young talent will result in succes the next couple of years! » « His focus will progressively shift towards the spring classics, in which he can learn alongside Baptiste Planckaert, among others. As part of our team for the classics, Baptiste will receive more responsibilities as a team captain. The past twelve months he animated the finals of the most prominent classics, I'm thinking about Paris-Roubaix. He also played an important role in our sprint trains and regularly seized opportunities to obtain results himself. He's one of our most experienced riders, but still I'm convinced that there's a margin for progression. Together with Baptiste we reflected on how we can reach these extra percentages. I'm looking forward to the next spring campaign! »
Both men will be at the start of the Bretagne Classic – Ouest France this Sunday, alongside Dimitri Claeys, Tom Devriendt, Biniam Girmay, Andrea Pasqualon and Loïc Vliegen. The seven riders will be directed by Aike Visbeek and Hilaire Van der Schueren on a parcours of 254 kilometer around Plouay. The peloton will head towards Vannes before turning back for the two final race hours containing two ribins (non asphalted roads) and more than ten steep and short hills.
