Koen Bouwman says goodbye to Team Visma | Lease a Bike in Gree-Tour of Guangxi
Koen Bouwman will line up in China next Tuesday for his final race with Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The 30-year-old Dutchman, who has been riding for the team since 2015, hopes to showcase his abilities one last time. Bouwman and sports director Frans Maassen look ahead to the final WorldTour stage race of the year.
Bouwman, who achieved his biggest successes in 2022 by winning two stages and the mountains classification in the Giro d’Italia, looks back fondly on his time with the black-and-yellow squad. “It was a truly fantastic time. Over the past ten years, I’ve had the privilege of working with amazing people from whom I’ve learned a lot, which has helped me grow tremendously as a person. I was never the most talented rider, but by working hard together with the team, I reached a solid level and was able to achieve some great victories.”
“I have so many wonderful memories,” Bouwman continues. “I’ve gone on so many incredible trips and always worked with a great group of people. I’m leaving a very warm environment, which made the decision to move on difficult. The team’s structure is unique, and I’ve really enjoyed it, which has led to many beautiful moments over the past few years.”
"Koen is a really great guy and also just a strong rider"
Maassen also looks back with great pleasure on Bouwman’s time with the team. “I’m going to miss Koen a lot. He’s always been a tremendous team player and often thought of the team’s interests, otherwise, he probably could have won even more. Koen is a really great guy and also just a strong rider. He has shown some special things and was an important part of building this team.”
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“We’re missing our leader Olav, but we’ll do everything we can to win a stage,” the team director continues regarding the team’s goal. “It looks like we’re going to have four sprint stages, and we’ll be without our sprinter Olav Kooij, but our goal remains a stage win. Additionally, we’re aiming for a good overall result with Milan Vader, and I hope the guys who are leaving can finish their last race in a good way – I really wish that for them.”
"I’m really excited to give my all one last time for the team"
Despite a challenging preparation, Bouwman is looking forward to his final race with the black-and-yellow team. “Due to my crash at the Bemer Cyclassics, September was a tough month, and I couldn’t train much. Thankfully, I’m feeling better now, and I’m really excited to give my all one last time for the team and the guys I’m starting with.”
