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"
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."
