The 2026 season has barely begun, but for the Visma-Lease a Bike team, it already feels like a year’s worth of setbacks packed into a single month. And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just about the riders’ injuries or unexpected retirements—it’s about how the team’s resilience will be tested in ways that go far beyond individual performances. Let’s dive in.
The troubles started almost immediately after the new year began. On January 2, Wout van Aert suffered a broken ankle at the Zilvermeercross, a devastating blow for a team banking on his leadership. Just days later, Simon Yates dropped a bombshell by announcing his immediate retirement, leaving fans and teammates alike in shock. As if that weren’t enough, Jonas Vingegaard, the team’s Tour de France champion, crashed during a training session after an encounter with an amateur rider—a reminder of how fragile a cyclist’s season can be. But here’s where it gets controversial: while the internet erupted with debates about who was at fault for Vingegaard’s crash, the real question is whether such incidents reveal deeper vulnerabilities in how teams manage their stars.
The setbacks didn’t stop there. This week, an illness swept through the team, forcing Visma to start the Tour of Oman with just three riders. Owain Doull and Axel Zingle couldn’t even begin the race, and Sepp Kuss was forced to withdraw mid-event. To add insult to injury, Bart Lemmen crashed out with a wrist injury, and Menno Huising broke his collarbone at the Tour Down Under. Of the 29 riders on contract at the start of the year, only 22 are currently race-ready—a staggering number for any team to manage.
And this is the part most people miss: the loss of Tim Heemskerk, a coach who’s been with the team for eight years, could be just as damaging as the riders’ injuries. Heemskerk, who played a pivotal role in developing Vingegaard into a two-time Tour de France winner and oversaw the progression of talents like Matteo Jorgenson, is leaving immediately. His departure, coupled with Yates’s retirement, raises questions about the team’s long-term strategy and morale.
Meanwhile, Remco Evenepoel is dominating the early season, winning four of his first five races. But here’s where it gets controversial: some are already speculating that he’s peaking too soon. Let’s be clear—this is a tired narrative. Elite riders like Evenepoel work with top coaches and sports scientists to manage their form throughout the season. Suggesting he’s peaking too early is like saying a marathon runner is too fast at the 10K mark—it’s shortsighted and ignores the bigger picture.
So, where does this leave Visma? The parallels to 2024, when the team’s stars faced early setbacks, are hard to ignore. But there’s a silver lining: the season is still young, and Van Aert’s recovery appears ahead of schedule. The team’s success will hinge on their collective resilience—a quality that separates great teams from the rest. Can they bounce back? Only time will tell.
Thought-provoking question for you: Do early-season setbacks define a team’s entire year, or is it how they respond that truly matters? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a debate!
