No Dutch rider selected yet for Tour Visma | Lease a Bike squad
Like last year, Visma | Lease will probably go to the Tour de France next summer without any Dutch rider in the squad. Initially, Simon Yates was part of the strategy for 2026, but he unexpectedly ended his career last week. As a result, a Dutch rider might still come into consideration, WielerFlits reports.
With Jonas Vingegaard, the Dutch team is again aiming for the overall victory, just like in the Giro d’Italia a month and a half earlier. In both races, the Dane will be supported by Victor Campenaerts and Sepp Kuss. On the climbs, Matteo Jorgenson is expected to provide extra firepower in the Tour. The American has shelved his own general classification ambitions. All-rounders Wout van Aert, Bruno Armirail, and Christophe Laporte are tasked with guiding Vingegaard through the flat stages.
Tulett and Kelderman in the running after Yates quits
Normally, Yates would also have been part of the team. His position is still under discussion, as the news of his retirement is very recent. The young Brit Ben Tulett probably takes the last spot, he told WielerFlits. But Wilco Kelderman is also hoping to participate in La Grande Boucle. The experienced Dutchman (who was fifth in the Tour in 2021) will definitely ride the Giro as well but has experience riding multiple Grand Tours in one season. Last year, he raced both the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.
In the latest Winter Guide from RIDE Magazine, Kelderman already expressed his satisfaction with the route presented by the ASO in October. The seasoned rider helped guide Vingegaard to overall victory in 2023 and would like to return to the Tour de France. “I really enjoyed it in 2023 and 2024. I feel that having a plan to win the Tour or to make a race explode makes me stronger. If I’m in good shape, I can be of value on the upcoming route. I’m curious to see what plan the team will come up with.”
Plugge was clear last year
Last season, there was also no Dutch rider in the Tour de France squad, even after it became clear that Christophe Laporte wasn’t fit enough. Initially, Axel Zingle was supposed to replace him, but shortly after, he was also seriously injured. Eventually, Edoardo Affini took the final spot. “For me, it doesn’t matter (no Dutch riders in the Tour squad, ed.), I want to win the Tour,” team boss Richard Plugge said about it last year to WielerFlits.
“We also want to win the Tour as a team. If that’s not possible with Dutch riders right now, then so be it. Although you never know what will happen. But everyone who is not selected for the Tour basically doesn’t like that. Everyone wants to ride the Tour. Are the Dutch not good enough at this moment? We think we have a better chance with other riders right now. With the eight riders we’ve selected so far, we are best equipped to win the Tour.”
