‘We Don’t Have a Climber Like Sepp Kuss’: Visma-Lease a Bike Missing Its Kryptonite at Tour de France
Vingegaard right-hand man Jorgenson rues his 'bad day’ as team plan to minimise Pogačar explosivity on Galibier falls flat.
Team analysis by Bernard Thévenet, two time winner of the Tour de France.
Vingegaard Of Course!
Weary of his bad luck in the Tour, Primož Roglič has opted for the Giro and has left defending champion Jonas Vingegaard in total charge.
I don’t think that this will be hard for the Dane to deal with because this team leaves nothing to chance. He will bear the pressure of being the defending champion, but his team is very strong, with Wout van Aert, who will retain some freedom and can compete for another green jersey, Christophe Laporte, Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss and Tiesj Benoot.
In 2022, the team was competitive on all fronts and seized its opportunities. Opting not to wait for others to fail is a winning strategy.
Team Info
General Manager: Richard Plugge Sponsors: Dutch national lottery; Norwegian business software and services company Team Founded: 1994 Bike: Cervélo Drivetrain: SRAM Wheels: Reserve Clothing: Agu Team Leader: Jonas Vingegaard (Den), 26 Support Riders: Lineup yet to be confirmed
Team News & Analysis
Team analysis by Bernard Thévenet, two time winner of the Tour de France. Vingegaard Of Course! Weary of his bad luck in the Tour, Primož Roglič has opted for the Giro and has left defending champion Jonas Vingegaard in total charge. I don’t think that this will be hard for the Dane to deal with because this team leaves nothing to chance. He will bear the pressure of being the defending champion, but his team is very strong, with Wout van Aert, who will retain some freedom and can compete for another green jersey, Christophe Laporte, Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss and Tiesj Benoot. In 2022, the team was competitive on all fronts and seized its opportunities. Opting not to wait for others to fail is a winning strategy. Team Info General Manager: Richard Plugge Sponsors: Dutch national lottery; Norwegian business software and services company Team Founded: 1994 Bike: Cervélo Drivetrain: SRAM Wheels: Reserve Clothing: Agu Team Leader: Jonas Vingegaard (Den), 26 Support Riders: Lineup yet to be confirmed Team News & Analysis
Vingegaard right-hand man Jorgenson rues his 'bad day’ as team plan to minimise Pogačar explosivity on Galibier falls flat.
UAE is leaving nothing to chance as Pogačar takes control of the Tour de France: 'It was important to see the level of each team.'
Vingegaard exceeds his own expectations, but lacks 'last bit of confidence' on descents, says Visma-Lease a Bike coach Niermann.
Visma-Lease a Bike star escapes pothole fall with abrasions; believes confident team can look to win their third Tour de France.
Dane believes he is almost back to his best after going toe-to-toe with Pogačar into Bologna.
Race organizers deny Vingegaard's team accreditation for a teched-out data center launched specifically for Le Tour.
'We expect UAE to drop the hammer every day': UAE, Red Bull turn screws in Tour opener to apply pressure on Jonas Vingegaard.
Watch out, the aero gains are coming for your road bike tires now!
Cycling analyst says Danish rider’s injuries were far more severe than those of Pogačar in 2023.
Tour de Hoody: Don't count Matteo Jorgenson out as a podium outsider, and it would be a mistake to say that he cannot win this Tour de France.
It's a case of wait and see for Visma-Lease a Bike's Belgian all-rounder, hoping to be competitive in Tour sprints after damaging spring crash.
UCI puts brain center for Jonas Vingegaard's title defense under scrutiny: 'Our priority is to ensure sporting fairness, equitable access to technology, the primacy of man over machine.'
Jeremy Whittle explores how a new breed of WorldTour bosses like Plugge, Zeeman, Brailsford pack transferable marketing and management acumen into a role once ruled by ex-riders.
Commentary: Nine months after team's own success pushed away Roglič, the injury-cursed Killer Bees need its founding leader more than ever.
The 2023 Vuelta a España winner will be replaced by Bart Lemmen in what's a huge blow for Visma-Lease a Bike.
Nobody knows what version of Vingegaard will show up to the Tour, but Visma-Lease a Bike has no option but to take him: 'We're going with a different mindset.'
Sepp Kuss, Matteo Jorgenson to ride for Vingegaard as injury doubts remain over defending champ: 'We don't know how far he can go yet.'
Photo out of Visma-Lease a Bike pre-Tour camp on Tignes suggests team is close to finalizing a final eight after season studded by injury disasters.
In race against time to be at 100 percent for the Tour, Vingegaard's coach Tim Heemskerk says he has a ‘different physiology’ to Pogačar.
The blighted spring of the 'Killer Bees' is deeper than a string of debilitating crashes, and the team that completed a 'grand tour grand slam' is facing more behind-the-scenes upheaval and uncertainty.
American rider finishes just eight seconds off overall win following superb GC campaign.
Another setback for Visma-Lease a Bike: Team taking no chances with Colorado climber who was 'not feeling 100 percent' during eight-stage pre-Tour test.
Visma-Lease a Bike confirms Olympic swim guru Jacco Verhaeren will move to central leadership after exit of mastermind Tour de France director Merijn Zeeman.
Jorgenson's grand tour GC future will see a major test across 3 summits to close Critérium du Dauphiné: 'Many people said Sepp Kuss could not win a grand tour, so why cannot Matteo Jorgenson do that?'
Tour de Hoody: Will they or won't they start? Visma-Lease a Bike is on egg shells if Jonas Vingegaard or Wout van Aert will be ready to race the Tour de France.
'GC Kuss' might yet make an appearance in the 2024 Tour de France. Right now, it's impossible to say which version.
Danish rider still dealing with effects of dramatic crash in April, with nervousness also a factor.
Van Aert says it's too early to say if he'll be at the Tour de France: 'We will evaluate to see what lies ahead.'
Olympic Games the only certainty for Van Aert ahead of Tour of Norway comeback, Vingegaard 'improving so fast,' says trainer.
Matthew Brennan earns blockbuster contract with Visma-Lease a Bike 'super team' as hunt for Tour de France champions hits fast-forward.
Rumor that swim guru Jacco Verhaeren will succeed outgoing mastermind DS Merijn Zeeman points to growth of cross-sport expertise in pro cycling.
Visma-Lease a Bike confirms there's no COVID on its bus after fourth abandon in the team as tension mounts over illness in the peloton.
A year after sweeping all three grand tours, the 'Killer Bees' are reeling from injuries and illnesses, and it remains uncertain if Wout Van Aert or Jonas Vingegaard will race the Tour de France.
Team boss Richard Plugge beats back notion the wheels are falling off during a season of 'super teams' and crashes from Vingegaard, Van Aert.
Van Aert is inching back to full training after his devastating crash, but his race schedule is TBD. Here's why his return to the Tour should be a no-brainer.
'I am so happy that I am in white:' Young Belgian leaps up to fourth overall and now leads the best young rider classification.
Team brass upbeat for Vingegaard's title defense despite scrapping altitude camp, Dauphiné, bats away rumors Van Aert will return to racing at Tour of Hungary.
Overnight race leader Blanka Vas holds on to maillot rojo by just one second, Vos moves up to second overall with her 252nd career win.
Most of the WorldTour is slurping Maurten's solution to sodium bicarbonate, and new studies prove its potential – but bicarb supplementation might remain a micro-gain.
Sources confirm Evenepoel will train at altitude next month, while the future for Van Aert is less clear with no hints of a return to the Tour this summer.
Race program remains unknown for two-time Tour de France champion after he suffered broken ribs, fractured collarbone, collapsed lung.
After big wins at Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen, the American returns home for a short break before building up for the Tour de France: 'We have a huge asset in Matteo.'
After missing the cobblestone monuments, Belgian star forced to cancel his highly anticipated debut at the Italian grand tour on May 4: 'I need to give my body the time to recover.'
Ketone supplier partners WorldTour team to prove its Tour de France-winning potential as uncertainties continue to linger over ‘fourth macronutrient.'
Remco Evenepoel returns home and Primož Roglič is 'feeling a bit better' as top stars show encouraging signs in recoveries from recent spate of crashes.
Visma-Lease a Bike, DSM Firmenich-PostNL swerve the new tech after cobblestone test last spring, Visma to switch to Cervélo Soloist frames for softer ride.
Game changers? New Belgian resort joins Denia's Syncrosfera as an altitude training alternative for the WorldTour elite.
'It will be a big loss': Merijn Zeeman to take role with AZ soccer club in 2025 after helping turn Dutch cycling team from minnows to megastars.
Thrust into the leadership role at injury-plagued Visma-Lease a Bike, on-form American is the ultimate outsider: 'There is no lack of motivation.'
American star defends racing for victory in wake of devastating crash: 'Should we just throw in the towel?'
American recruit boldly steps into the Visma-Lease a Bike void with another stunning victory: 'Winning was a nice gesture for Wout.'
Matteo Jorgenson delivered a stunning Dwars door Vlaanderen victory but it was small consolation for the loss of the Flanders-Roubaix favorite to injury: 'This casts a major cloud over this win.'
In-form, injury-free Jorgenson poised for crucial role in Wout van Aert's under pressure cobblestone crew at Dwars, Tour of Flanders.
Wednesday's Dwars door Vlaanderen is one more chance to blow out the cobwebs as pressure piles on injury-depleted Visma-Lease a Bike: 'I've done everything I can to get ready for the classics.'
Dutch squad searching for positives after Sepp Kuss and Cian Uijtdebroeks fade on final stages.
Despite slow Paris-Nice start, Slovenian rider’s transfer in pursuit of Tour de France glory is raising German team’s game: 'We absolutely buy into it.'
'Keen to create something beautiful': Dutch steamroller plows forward without Wout van Aert and could still usurp Pogačar, Van der Poel.
The American star lifts the lid on opportunistic tactics that won him 'strange' Paris-Nice and frustration with Skjelmose: 'I won the race on La Colle-sur-Loup.'
Tour de France dominators fear ban of helmet after it reportedly spent more than a year developing with Giro Sport.
Jonas Vingegaard and teammates test radical new design from Giro in advance of team's Tour de France defense.
Pogačar's wildest season yet will drive a narrative through 2024 that will oppose any Visma victory parade.
Breaking down the major highlights & key takeaways from the spring classics opening weekend.
What did it take to hold the wheels of Visma-Lease a Bike's classics rout? Wild wattages and KoM-bothering efforts shared on Strava tell the story.
'We’re trying to get at a higher level at the monuments.' Could the calendar tweaks and a different approach to 'Holy Week' finally pay off?
Visma-Lease a Bike wins both races across 'Opening Weekend' to carry momentum into the spring's major one-days.
Analysis: Strong opening salvo in classics peels back philosophy behind winning ways — it's how they do it that matters.
American makes a big splash in his Visma-Lease a Bike debut: 'It's a totally different experience on this team.'
'We'll have to wait and see how Tadej does it': Vingegaard chews over possible Giro-Tour double, but he wants to know if it's achievable first.
No Van der Poel and Pedersen leaves Van Aert six-star favorite for classics opener, but no 'big three' makes it only an appetizer ahead of the spring's biggest prizes.
A shift toward performance fueling is reshaping historically problematic attitudes toward food, but the watt/kilo equation will always cause complications.
With Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the spring classics on the horizon, the Belgian superstar snags an unexpected win: 'This gives a lot of confidence.'
Belgian superstar finishes last for first time in his career, and Vuelta a España champion helps save the day for Visma-Lease a Bike: 'I did everything I could to help Jan.'
Several WorldTour teams openly use the 'grey area' performance enhancers, but some still fear their influence: What's driving the division?
Will Van Aert break his Flanders-Roubaix curse in 2024? Form-finding February racing in Spain, Portugal will give clues.
A breakthrough in last year's Oman tour helped seal the Visma-Lease a Bike deal: 'You need to get that first win to realize you’re capable of doing it.'
Why isn't the WorldTour topper to be seen in the early season? Jonas Vingegaard's crew is already on Teide and tuning for the the Tour de France.
Talented Dutchwoman has already shown signs of road promise, but much more is to come.
Kuss carries winning high-volume training framework into boosted role with the Visma-Lease A Bike WorldTour bulldozer in 2024.
The Vuelta a España champion returns to action with a pair of one-days and the Volta ao Algarve: 'That Vuelta victory did something to him. He gained so much confidence.'
The once-underdog, now-mighty Dutch super team is pushing the accelerator in 2024: 'The mentality doesn't change. We do not sit back and relax.'