Lotto Soudal have handed contract extensions to Belgian trio Tosh Van der Sande, Rémy Mertz, and Enzo Wouters. Van der Sande and Mertz have signed new two-year deals, while Wouters has signed a new one-year deal. All three riders turned pro with Lotto Soudal, Van der Sande and Wouters having come through the team`s U23 development squad. Van der Sande, 27, began his pro career in 2012 and has played a versatile role. He has since won one race - a stage of the 2016 Tour de l`Ain - but has had a few near misses, and has also been called upon to work in the lead-out trains or for his team leaders in the hillier races. ADVERTISEMENT `It was not a difficult decision to sign a two-year contract extension. I was eager to stay at Lotto Soudal and it´s always nice to know if the interest turns out to be mutual,` said Van der Sande. `I feel really good within the team, where I have been a part of since 2012. As a Belgian rider in an almost completely Belgian team, I feel at ease. I guess that everybody needs a change now and then, but I realised pretty fast that Lotto Soudal is the right place for me. `I am very satisfied with my current role within the team. I enjoy helping the leaders during the finale of big races. In the somewhat smaller races, I am granted the freedom to go for a nice result myself. Of course, I would like to take another victory in the near future. It has already been two years since I was able to celebrate a win.` Van der Sande has never ridden the Tour de France but will take aim at the Vuelta a España again this year. `The ideal scenario for that would be a reduced bunch sprint or a breakaway that goes till the finish,` he said. `But the kind of race doesn´t really matter to me, winning is always welcome.`
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