es La Vuelta Ciclista a España
WorldTeam Men 23 Aug '25 - 14 Sep '25
19/21 Valladolid › Valladolid 12km
20/21 Rueda › Guijuelo 161km
21/21 Robledo de Chavela › Bola del Mundo. Puerto de Navacerrada 164km
fr Tour Cycliste Féminin International de l'Ardèche
WorldTeam Women 09 Sep '25 - 14 Sep '25
2/6 Saint-Rambert-d'Albon › Saint-Donat-sur-l'Herbasse 113km
3/6 Avignon › Pernes-les-Fontaines 119km
4/6 Vals-les-Bains › Vals-les-Bains 20km
ca Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
WorldTeam Men 12 Sep '25
1/1 Québec › Québec 216km
ca Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
WorldTeam Men 14 Sep '25
1/1 Montréal › Montréal 209km
fr La Choralis Fourmies Féminine
WorldTeam Women 14 Sep '25
1/1 Fourmies › Fourmies 123km
be GP Rik Van Looy
Development Team 14 Sep '25
1/1 Westerlo › Herentals 185km
be Grand Prix de Wallonie Dames
WorldTeam Women 17 Sep '25
1/1 Soiron › Namur 128km
sk Okolo Slovenska / Tour de Slovaquie
WorldTeam Men 17 Sep '25 - 21 Sep '25
1/5 Bardejov › Bardejov 141km
2/5 Svidník › Košice 170km
3/5 Kežmarok › Banská Bystrica 191km
Fletcher and Casey experienced racing from front-row seats thanks to the hospitality of Team Visma | Lease a Bike: 'I will remember this forever'

Fletcher and Casey experienced racing from front-row seats thanks to the hospitality of Team Visma | Lease a Bike: 'I will remember this forever'

New Yorker Fletcher James and his fiancée Casey Hartigan spent a day with the team at Liège-Bastogne-Liège thanks to Team Visma | Lease a Bike's hospitality programme. The American cycling fan looks back on a unique experience during La Doyenne.

Each cycling season, Team Visma | Lease a Bike offers exclusive hospitality packages at some of the best spring classics and grand tours. One of the guests during Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the oldest cycling monument on the calendar, was Fletcher James. He and his fiancée spent the day close to the riders.

"It was an unforgettable experience", Fletcher said. "For my birthday, Casey and I booked a trip to Belgium, a country I had always wanted to visit. Liège-Bastogne-Liège was taking place at the same time, and I wanted to see the race from the front row. We were warmly welcomed in the team bus in Liège, where we had a coffee and watched the riders prepare for the race. Then, we got into the car to make a few stops along the route. This allowed us to watch the peloton go by several times."

Former professional rider Nathan Van Hooydonck guided Fletcher and Casey throughout the day. "That was a fun surprise. It was unique to be joined by someone with a lot of experience in the spring classics and grand tours. Together with Nathan, we handed out bidons to the riders. Standing at the side of the road wearing the Team Visma | Lease a Bike jacket was special. Then we went up the La Redoute climb to see the climax of the race up close."

For Sam Vinck, New Business Manager at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the cycling fans' experience during a hospitality day is key. "It is important that the guests feel and see the race as much as possible. We take them to the team bus, where they get a preview from one of the sports directors before the start of the race. We then visit our food and equipment trucks. After the team presentation, we take the guests to the course in our vans. There, they can cheer on the riders at various points. As the icing on the cake, they hand out bidons to the riders. All this makes the guests part of our team for the day, which creates an instant bond."

"a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's greatest teams adds enormous value to the race experience"

Fletcher James

For Fletcher, who discovered the world of cycling a few years ago, it was his first live experience of racing at the highest level. "Unlike many Europeans, Americans don't grow up watching cycling on TV. Sports like basketball, baseball and American football are more part of our culture. I discovered cycling in 2019 and became increasingly immersed in the cycling world. I quickly learned about the different teams, riders and strategies. I also immediately liked the presence of Americans like Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson at Team Visma | Lease a Bike."

"Watching a monument like Liège-Bastogne-Liège was exceptional. Watching a race on television is great, but to see the riders in action several times up close adds a new dimension. The speed, intensity and power of the riders are awe-inspiring. To get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's greatest teams adds enormous value to the race experience. I will remember this day forever."

Related updates