LOTTO (Merckx)
STEPHEN: Due to money problems, two decent teams merged and cut loose their biggest stars. Then again, Aerts is overrated and Virenque is drug abusing nutcase, so no great loss. Merckx has the name, but not
The skills to win the Tour. He’s a good threat to win a stage though.
However, this team is all about McEwen’s quest for a second green jersey. The funny thing is, he won the first one with barely any help from his team, I think the team riding for him would screw up his strategy of stalking Zabel. So the team merely exists to take up space and let McEwen due his thing on his own.

JASON: Yeah, they’d do well to avoid McEwen so that they don’t mess him up. Lotto typically doesn’t amount to much in the Tour–maybe the odd stage win. McEwen gave them something completely foreign to them in TdF
success. He’ll stalk the green jersey; Merckx and Verbrugghe will try to get into breakaways.

STEPHEN: Early warning sign! The Lotto team is already talking about giving McEwen support and how their team strategy will be to support his Green Jersey defense. That's bad. The less Lotto does, the better for McEwen. Just treat him like he rides for no one, he'll be better off.