Name: Christopher Navarro
Age: 63 years old
Residence: Jacksonville (Verenigde Staten)

What made you decide to join the Fan Peloton?
"I’m a huge fan of Sepp Kuss and started following the team mainly when he joined. After that, my interest grew because of the performances of Wout van Aert and Jonas Vingegaard, but above all because of the way the rest of the team supports them. By joining the Fan Peloton, I gain more insight into the organisation, the team spirit and the way the team interacts with its fans."

Can you explain why you feel so involved? 
"For me, it’s mainly the WhatsApp groups and messages from the team that give me a strong sense of involvement. You get direct information about races, events and reactions, as well as regular glimpses behind the scenes. I also really enjoy the Fan Peloton articles. They give you more insight into the staff, riders and other fans. I also love that videos are available so quickly after a race. That lets you relive special moments and sometimes see footage you missed during the race."

Have you ever attended one of our events?
"I haven’t been to a specific team event yet, but in 2025 I did attend two stages of the Volta ao Algarve. Jonas Vingegaard won there and I was staying in the Algarve. Because the race is relatively small-scale, you could get very close to the action and the team. That made it really special."

How would you describe Team Visma | Lease a Bike in a few sentences?
"Team Visma | Lease a Bike is fully committed to the sport, the team, the riders and the fans. Everything they do is geared towards bringing out the best in one another and ultimately achieving the best results. That commitment to one another is reflected in the way they race and work together, but also in their victories."

Who is your favourite rider on the team?
"My favourite rider is Sepp Kuss. I’m particularly impressed by his team-oriented approach to racing. He’s always willing to put in the effort for the team and for the riders competing in the general classification. At the same time, he possesses incredible qualities. Last year, I had the chance to cycle alongside Sepp Kuss for a whole day during a cycle tour in Spain. He was incredibly helpful and rode with us (amateur cyclists) as if we were all team-mates.

I was the slowest climber that day. Several times, Sepp turned round, cycled back down the mountain to find me, and then rode up with me. Just as he does for Jonas during a race. That was a day I’ll never forget and perhaps the best day of cycling in my life."

Suppose you were allowed to ask Sepp one question. What would you like to know from him?
"I’d love to ask him which race or stage has stayed with him the most."

What is your connection to cycling?
"I’ve been cycling for 36 years now and have been following the sport ever since Greg LeMond was riding the Tour. I’m now enjoying my retirement and cycle around 11,000 kilometres a year. I love going on cycling tours in Portugal, Spain and Italy, mainly to tackle the long climbs. I also train a lot indoors and I’ve almost always got a race on the go. I watch road cycling, but also cross-country and mountain biking. The Grand Tours are my favourite. For me, the whole month of July is really all about cycling and watching the Tour de France."

What could make the membership even better for you?
"You’re doing a fantastic job of involving fans with the team. I really feel that a lot of thought goes into what interests us and how you can keep us engaged. The WhatsApp messages are very important to me in that respect. They make you feel close to the team.

Personally, I’d really appreciate it if the team responded more to messages from fans. That would make the sense of interaction even stronger. But above all, I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the Fan Peloton. It makes me feel that I’m not just watching Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but that I’m also a small part of it in my own way."