Team Visma | Lease a Bike's future looks bright thanks to transfers and home-grown talent
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has strengthened its squad for 2024 with talented riders such as Cian Uijtdebroeks, Ben Tulett and Matteo Jorgenson. In addition, Per Strand Hagens, Johannes Staune-Mittet and Loe van Belle have moved from the development team to the WorldTour team. At the team presentation in Amsterdam, the riders explained their choices for Team Visma | Lease a Bike and looked ahead to the upcoming season.
For 22-year-old Tulett, the first few weeks with Team Visma | Lease a Bike have been positive. "The training camp in Spain was a unique experience. It was nice to get to know my new teammates and the staff. I am looking forward to the start of the new season."
Tulett, who won the last edition of the Tour of Norway, is looking to continue his development. "The team has prepared an excellent race schedule for me. My goal is to help the team leaders as much as I can. At the Tour of Spain, I hope to take further steps in my development as a GC rider."
"Help the team achieve its goals in the classics"
Jorgenson is also making an ambitious start to the season. "There are many reasons why I chose Team Visma | Lease a Bike. The team's mentality appealed to me. The hard-working staff don't miss a single detail, which I like. Such an approach suits me."
"Last season, I had some good results in the spring", the 24-year-old Californian added. "This year, I will try to help the team achieve its goals in the classics. I will also try to help Jonas Vingegaard win his third Tour. I have a personal goal to one day be part of a team that wins the Tour de France, so I am looking forward to that as well."
The 21-year-old Staune-Mittet is one of three Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development riders. "The first training camp with the WorldTour team went well. Thanks to my time on the development team, it was not my first time riding with them. That made the step less big. I hope to improve even more mentally and physically in 2024. I want to be a better rider in every way", the Norwegian said.
With Uijtdebroeks, Team Visma | Lease a Bike has signed one of the biggest talents on the WorldTour. The 20-year-old Belgian hopes to become a GC rider in the coming years. He finished eighth in the last Vuelta a España. Along with Wout van Aert, Olav Kooij, and the rest of the squad, he will be trying to win as many stages as possible at the 2024 Tour of Italy. "I'm excited to be part of this squad", Uijtdebroeks said. "I want to improve in the grand tours. This is the perfect team and environment for me to accomplish that. A strict team that tries to get the maximum out of every race. That works for me."
"Aiming for stage wins in the Giro d'Italia"
"Before the Giro d'Italia, I will race the Tour of Catalonia and Tirreno-Adriatico. I want to do well in those races. Then, I will train at altitude to prepare for the Tour of Italy. I want to win stages there with Wout van Aert and Olav Kooij. As far as the GC is concerned, I will be free to do my thing without too much pressure", Uijtdebroeks said.
Sportive director Merijn Zeeman is pleased with the arrival of the young talents. "They are riders who fit well into this team. They are keen to develop, and we will help them. Cian, for example, is still young, but we see him as a future leader of the team. It is vital that he can continue to improve at his own pace."
