Visma | Lease a Bike Faces Internal Questions Amidst Departures and New Signings
Following a successful Tour de France campaign, Team Visma | Lease a Bike is reportedly grappling with internal shifts and a re-evaluation of its organizational direction. The departure of key figure Zeeman, described as the “architect of ‘the plan'” and a significant “culture carrier,” is noted as a substantial loss. Concerns are being raised about the team’s ability to maintain its established DNA, which has been instrumental in its rise to the top of the UCI team rankings as 2016.
Reports suggest that staff members are experiencing a lack of familiarity with new personnel within the organization’s Service Course in Den Bosch.Furthermore, the recruitment of staff from Eastern Europe and a new transfer policy focused on acquiring “cheap gems” are reportedly drawing scrutiny and prompting questions about the team’s strategic direction.
The team’s recent transfer activity includes the signings of Italians Filippo Fiorelli (30, VF Group Bardiani) and Davide Piganzoli (23, Team Poldi Visitmalta), along with Pietro Mattio (21, Training Team Visma | Lease a Bike). Additionally, the team has acquired Frenchman Bruno Armirail (31, Decathlon – Ag2r la Mondiale), German Anton Schiffer (25, Bike Aid), and Belgian Timo Kielich (25, Alpecin – Deceuninck). The article highlights these as “surprising purchases” and reiterates the importance of aligning such acquisitions with the team’s core identity.
Despite celebrating a strong performance at the Tour de France, which included two stage victories, the team classification win, and a second-place overall ranking, the article emphasizes the need for an internal assessment. This evaluation is deemed crucial for determining how the team can sustain its current level of success with its existing and future personnel.
