Team Visma | Lease a Bike to Tour de France with two-time winner and defending champion Jonas Vingegaard and former green jersey winner Wout van Aert
Team Visma | Lease a Bike will start the 111th Tour de France in Florence on Saturday, June 29, with defending champion Jonas Vingegaard. The Danish two-time Tour winner has recovered enough from his crash in the Tour of the Basque Country to fight for a good result.
Vingegaard has worked hard over the past two months to get fit in time. "I am excited to start the Tour. The last few months have not always been easy, but I thank my family and Team Visma | Lease a Bike for their unwavering support. We have worked together to get to this moment, and of course, I am very excited to see where I stand. I feel good and very motivated."
Sporting Director Merijn Zeeman: "I am very proud of Jonas and the coaching team. He is coming back from a serious injury. In the last few weeks, he has shown what a champion he is, both mentally and physically. Of course, we don't know how far he can go yet. We are being cautious because he has not been able to race, and his preparation has been less than ideal, to say the least. But he will be there, healthy and motivated."
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Van Aert
Joining Vingegaard at the Tour will be nine-time stage winner Wout van Aert, who is recovering from a serious injury following his crash in Dwars door Vlaanderen. Van Aert has already raced the Tour of Norway. He has been training at altitude with Vingegaard in Tignes in recent weeks. "I am really looking forward to the Tour de France. Of course, this was not the plan initially, but after my development in the last weeks, I really wanted it, and the team agreed. Our main goal is, of course, to ride a top classification with Jonas. I want to contribute to that with an excellent team."
Merijn Zeeman: "Just like Jonas, Wout has had to deal with a considerable physical and mental blow. But once again, Wout has shown himself to be a rock-solid champion. His class as an athlete and leadership qualities add value to our team. We are happy to have Jonas and Wout at the start, together with an excellent team. And also in this unique Renaissance jersey that was unveiled today."
Jorgenson, Kuss, Laporte, Benoot, Kelderman and Tratnik complete the team
Merijn Zeeman: "Matteo Jorgenson has already become one of the strongest riders in the team this year, with wins in Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen and his second place in the Dauphiné. Sepp Kuss proved last year that he is a great climber, an important domestique, and a leader in his own right with a victory in the Vuelta a España. European champion Christophe Laporte had an unfortunate spring due to injury and illness but has returned to form in the last two months. He will be an important link in the team. Tiesj Benoot had an excellent spring, including a podium finish at the Amstel Gold Race, and carried that good feeling into the final training period. Wilco Kelderman missed the Giro d'Italia with a broken collarbone but is now fit again and will be an important rider in the mountain stages. Jan Tratnik has already won Omloop het Nieuwsblad this year. He was strong in the Giro, and with his experience and qualities, he will play an important role in the Tour squad."
