With just a few weeks to go before the start of the race, UCI Professional Continental team Wanty-Groupe Gobert has been awarded the fourth and final wild card, allowing to compete in the 78th Tour de Suisse, joining recently invited IAM Cycling, MTN-Qhubeka and CCC Polsat-Polkowice.

Formed in 2008 as Willems Verandas, the professional cycling team is based in Isières in Belgium and comprises 23 riders. It has competed at Professional Continental level since the 2011 season. 

Jean-François Bourlart is the General Manager of the team whose sports manager, Hilaire Van Der Schueren, is the former Sports Director of the Vacansoleil team which was disbanded in 2013. Some experienced riders, such as the classic specialist Björn Leukemans as well as Frederik Veuchelen and Italian cyclist Mirko Selvaggi, followed Van Der Schueren to his new squad. 

“The Wanty-Groupe Gobert team is a very good addition to the field for this year’s Tour de Suisse and has performed well in the past. It has already achieved outstanding overall results in major tour events and been successful in individual stages,” said Rolf Huser, Business and Sports Director of the Tour de Suisse, commenting on the award of the race’s fourth wild card.