Team Visma | Lease a Bike started the Czech Tour with a young squad. Four riders from Team Visma | Lease a Bike Development have the chance to show themselves this week: Mikal Grimstad Uglehus, Cedric Keppens, William Smith and Ian Kings. They are joined by Thomas Gloag, Tijmen Graat and Cian Uijtdebroeks, who won the Tour de l’Ain last weekend. 

“For our development riders, this will be an educational four-day race,” said sports director Sierk Jan de Haan. “This race is a new step in their progression. Of course, they have a supporting role for our leaders here, in which we hope they will learn a lot. That goes from positioning in the peloton to executing team tactics. We can already look back on a successful first day.” 

The riders set off from the capital, Prague, for 165 kilometres on rolling terrain. After the start, seven riders managed to form the day’s early breakaway. As the finale approached, the break gradually thinned out. The black-and-yellow squad remained well-positioned at the front of the bunch throughout the day. In the hectic bunch sprint the Team Visma | Lease a Bike riders did not mix. 

“Today we wanted to stay near the front at all times to remain in a safe position,” said De Haan. “We didn’t have to do much work at the head of the peloton, but we definitely wanted to make our presence felt as a team. The boys did an excellent job today. We all crossed the line safely, which was the most important thing. The tougher stages are still to come, and we are really looking forward to them.”