Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women in 2024 has several goals in mind. "In addition to the process goals, which we have already paid a lot of attention to over the past year, we also have several performance goals”, said Rutger Tijssen, sports technical manager of Team Visma | Lease a Bike Women. "We have big ambitions for the spring classics. We want to go into the races with well-structured plans, intending to perform well and finish on the podium in some of them. Unsurprisingly, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix are on our radar. Just like the Amstel Gold Race, we will be there with a significant selection of riders, and we will be aiming for the ultimate goal: to win.”

The classics will soon be followed by the three grand tours. The riders and staff of the yellow and black squad will take part in the year's most important tours with the ambition to learn. "Our biggest goal is a long-term one. We hope to win one of the grand tours in the coming years. This year, we will gather information for the future, but we will set the bar high. Maybe we can finish on the podium in one of the grand tours this season”, the 49-year-old Dutchman said.

The 2024 Tour de France Femmes will have a distinct Dutch flavour, with four stages on Dutch soil and the grand finale on Alpe d'Huez. Dutch time trial champion Riejanne Markus is looking forward to the world's most prominent women's cycling race. "It's extraordinary that the Tour starts in the Netherlands. On the second day, we start in Dordrecht, my husband's hometown. There will be a lot of family there, so I am looking forward to it. On the last day, we will finish on the Alpe d'Huez, a mythical climb where I have seen many riders win. I can't wait to ride it myself.”

As well as the classics and grand tours, the summer of 2024 will see the Olympic Games in Paris. With Markus and Anna Henderson, Tijssen has two riders on the team with a chance of winning a coveted Olympic medal. "As far as Riejanne and Anna's programme is concerned, we are taking into account that they will be riding at the Olympic Games. We are giving them the best possible preparation in every way. So, hopefully, they will be able to provide an excellent performance in Paris, both on the road and in the time trial. Provided, of course, that they manage to secure a starting place.”

As well as performance and victories, developing talent has long been high on the team's agenda. "We hope that the young talents will continue to grow this year and that their learning curve will continue”, Tijssen continued. "One of the main goals of Team Visma | Lease a Bike is to train future winners. We do not expect the young riders to win immediately, but we hope to see growth, development and potential every year. A good result would be an excellent bonus, but that is not our main goal in developing young talent.”

"Not only do we have process goals for the young riders, they are also part of the team in important races. In previous results, everyone has done their bit. We expect the same for next season”, the sports technical manager concluded. 


The team's first road race will be in January: Santos Tour Down Under. For the first time in the team's history, the women's squad will compete in the Australian race. The yellow and black team will also compete in all the spring classics and grand tours in 2024.