Simon Yates 'possibly irreplaceable by Visma for the next three years' | Lease a Bike

Visma | Lease a Bike is starting the season with 28 riders. This is a consequence of Simon Yates’ decision, who last week suddenly chose to immediately end his career. A harsh blow for the Dutch team, which is now left with the fallout. The Brit was one of the team’s key riders. They are going and able to replace him, says Head of Racing Grischa Niermann to WielerFlits.

For many, Yates’ sudden farewell last Wednesday afternoon came completely out of the blue. “The surprise for us was also very big because we did not see this coming,” says Niermann, who received the announcement a few days earlier. “If he had said this last year after the Giro d’Italia (which the Brit won, ed.) or after the Tour de France (where he took a stage win, ed.), the surprise might have been less. Now we had made plans together for 2026, for which he was very motivated.”

‘Yates possibly irreplaceable for the next three years’
After the December camp, Yates was reportedly unreachable for a while, after which he made up his mind after Christmas. “He realized that he thinks he cannot sustain his career. For him, the motivation to go for it one more time was no longer there. We can speculate that with his Giro victory, Simon achieved the greatest accomplishment still to be won. That is probably true, but I don’t know 100% what the reason is. It is very unfortunate for us, but it is also a very brave decision on his part. We wish him all the best for the future.”

The Brit immediately saddled the team with a big problem. Yates was planned as the team leader in Tirreno-Adriatico and several other races, with also an important role in the Tour de France selection this summer. Visma | Lease a Bike will now have to make do with this group, because, according to team boss Richard Plugge, there are also few good options left on the market. “And we must also say that Simon Yates is irreplaceable,” Niermann believes. “Certainly not by someone who might still be or become available on the market in the next three years,” he states clearly.

The German calls it unfortunate, but he is not overly worried about it. “We will have to make new plans and see how we can physically replace Simon, that another rider can step in for the races Yates was scheduled for. That will definitely work out. The current status is that we will fill the open spot in the lineup with our current riders. But again: the winner of the 2025 Giro d’Italia is not one we just replace. On the other hand, this also creates opportunities and chances for other riders.”

Vingegaard also surprised
Team leader Jonas Vingegaard did not see Yates’ decision coming either. “Of course, the timing was a bit surprising,” he says. “For us as a team, it’s also a big blow. Having said that, I have a lot of respect for Simon and the decision he made. It really takes courage to stop your pro career at this point. He feels that enough is enough. There has been a lot of talk about burnout in the peloton in recent years. It’s a tough world for every rider, including me. […] Maybe the sport doesn’t have to be as harsh as it is now.”