John Lerangue, manager of Lot Soudal (open in new tab), said his team will not attempt to sign Greg Van Avermaet (open in new tab) if the CCC team (open in new tab) fails to secure a new sponsor for 2021.

Last week, CCC manager Jim Ochowicz confirmed that the team is looking for a new sponsor to replace the Polish firm, and Van Avermaet admitted that he is "open to adventure" if the team disbands at the end of this year.

Van Avermaet has been with CCC (formerly BMC) since 2011, but began his professional career with the lot. Lelangue, who was part of Van Avermaat's management team when he moved to BMC, denied in an interview with "La Dernière Heure" (opens in new tab) that he had signed with the Olympic champion of Lotto Soudal.

"No, Greg is a super rider and I like him, but it wouldn't make sense to sign a specialist for the classics in Flanders to a core group that already has (Philippe) Gilbert, (John) Degenkolb, (Tim) Wellens.

"In my opinion, it would be a lack of respect, both for the Olympic champions and for the current powerhouses."

Lotto Soudal has revamped its Classics roster ahead of the 2020 season, moving Tiesj Benoot to Team Sunweb and signing Gilbert and Degenkolb, who won Paris-Roubaix in 2019, well past his 40th birthday. signed a three-year contract that will keep him at Lotto Soudal.

Fifteen of Lot Soudal's 28 riders, including sprinter Caleb Yuan, who scored a hat trick in his Tour de France debut last season, remain under contract through 2021, and Lelangue is not looking to overhaul the roster.

"Gilbert, Wellens, Degenkolb, and Yuan are still under contract for next season, so we will certainly build the team around the same spine," Lelangue said.

"Of course we want to re-sign the players whose contracts are expiring, and we will continue to offer opportunities to young international talent and those from the under-23 team.

The 2020 World Tour is set to resume on August 1 with the Strade Bianche, and the Milan-San Remo, postponed since March due to the coronavirus outbreak, will now take place on August 8.

Lelangue acknowledged that La Classissima would have been better moved to August 22, the week before the Tour de France Grande Parle in Nice, "which makes more sense both competitively and logistically," and not 2015 winner John Degenkolb, He suggested that Gilbert and Ewan lead the challenge of Lot Soudal in Milan-San Remo.

"Philippe and Caleb will be the trump cards in the first monumental race of the season," Lelangue said. 'This year's race may be atypical, but we have two very complementary weapons.'

Ewan will lead Lotto Soudal's bid for a stage win at the Tour de France, while the Australian and his lead-out train will compete in the Tour de Wallonie (August 16-19).

"It is still possible for him to compete in Il Lombardia (August 18-), but Philippe should also be there," said Lelangoux.