Between July 8 and 17, a training camp is organised for most of the Lotto Soudal riders. After the first half of the season, many of them had a rest period. The training camp in Livigno, a ski resort in the north of Italy, is a good opportunity to prepare themselves for the second part of the year.

"The purpose is to work towards the second half of the season with all the riders of Lotto Soudal, apart from those who are participating in the Tour de France," sports director Mario Aerts said. "Jasper De Buyst is the only rider who isn’t present in Livigno, because of track obligations. During the first days, the riders will do some endurance trainings together at a medium pace. In the further course of the training camp, the aim is to train individually at altitude. It’s possible that the riders will be divided into several groups. We want to work as individually as possible, based on level and goals.”

The riders at the Tour de France have their daily pattern, but also the riders in a training camp are stuck to a time schedule. Although there is less pressure.

“The agenda is as follows. At 8:30, the riders are expected at breakfast. At about 10:30, they leave for their daily training. The length of that training can change day by day. In the beginning, the training will last until 15:30, while towards the end the training can last till 18:00. After the training, there’s time for a massage and then for dinner," Aerts said.

“We begin leisurely, to give the riders the chance to adapt to the environment and to the altitude. Some of them have already slept in an altitude tent at home, so they’ll need less time to adapt. Actually you can compare a training camp to a stage race, if you look at the time schedule. But at a training camp, it’s more relaxed. You don’t have the stress of a race, and that creates another atmosphere.”

Traditionally, a few teams go to the Sierra Nevada to organize a training camp. Lotto Soudal chose to go to Livigno this year and has a good reason for it.

“Livigno is at an altitude of 1800 metres, that’s a big difference with the Sierra Nevada," Aert said. "So it’s less high, with the result that it’s more bearable for all the riders. Apart from that, it’s also a wonderful location. The weather is very nice in July and there are long parts of flat road before you get to the mountains. That’s perfect to do some endurance trainings.”