Axel Merckx will not become CEO of Belgium's Lot Dostony in 2023 and will remain in his current position at Hagens Berman Aktion.

The venerable Belgian team, which is set to be relegated from the World Tour in 2023, also lost its CEO a few weeks ago when John Lelangue announced that he will become general manager of the Tour de Pollogne in 2023.

Since then, speculation has been rife as to who will take over the team to manage top riders such as Caleb Huang, Arnaud Des Liers, and Thomas De Gendt. [However, according to a lengthy interview with La Dernière Heure (opens in new tab), Axel Merckx, who had been the longest mentioned candidate to replace Lérangoux, has turned down the position.

Merckx said that he presented the team with a project of how he wanted the team to develop and work, but "it wasn't what they wanted."

"They are going the other way," he told La Dernière Heure.

For now, the concrete move is to sign well-known former Lotto domestique Kurt Van de Wouwer to be the new sports manager. Merckx, however, said he learned about it through the media.

"This decision shows how the team wants to work. Kurt deserves the post. He has passed his tests and has had great results [with Lotto's U23 team and the women's team].

"I wanted to work on both the managerial and sporting side. I have been out of touch with the team for a while, but the way I wanted to work with the team is not feasible, so we have stopped talking."

Merckx said he had not been in direct contact with the team's executive committee and had instead been contacted by a Belgian headhunting firm that had been contracted to find a new manager. He also described a radically different management style that is dominant in the lot, not in other Belgian teams like Quick Step Alpha Vinyl.

"I didn't go knocking on their door; they asked me to present my project.

Merckx stated.

Merckx added that he was also approached by Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert, but turned down their offer because he felt that the current team of sports directors and managers were doing a very good job. He said, "I didn't want to be the sixth or seventh sports director on the team."

As for Lott, Merckx said: "I could have changed the way things have been done for years in the team, where everything is decided by the executive committee. I am not used to that way of doing things. In my opinion, the CEO should make decisions and be responsible. That is how Patrick Lefebvre works.

Merckx joked in La Dernière Heure: "I don't think Patrick will ever retire.

In a more serious tone, he added: "Patrick is doing a great job. I don't know if anyone can take over from him at all. They say no one is irreplaceable, but in Patrick's case it's quite complicated."

"His team is his life and soul, and it wouldn't be the same team without him. Not because he is a dictator, but because he is a centripetal force who knows how to get the most out of people, whether they are staff or riders. Not everyone has that gift.

The question of who will take over Lott-Dostny's CEO-equivalent role remains up in the air. Andrei Chmir, the only known person to have offered to take over, has not yet been confirmed as having formally submitted an application. The name of Rick Verbrugghe, currently with Israel Premier Tech, has also been rumored as a possible candidate.

The number of rejections is getting longer. Along with Axel Merckx, Philippe Gilbert, who is set to retire at the end of the season, and Jana Schiele, who currently serves as chief business officer of Lot Soudal, have reportedly already turned down the post. In any case, John Lelangue will remain in his post until December 31, and more details about the situation may be revealed at a meeting of the top lotto team management next November 9.

Merckx himself will continue as director of the US Continental team, Hagens Berman Axeon, which has signed seven riders for 2023. However, he now lives in Belgium and has stated publicly that he would like to direct a larger European team in the future.