"A person of real class" - Team | Visma Lease a Bike say goodbye to departing rider

It was a difficult season for Team | Visma Lease a Bike in 2024, as they struggled to follow on from there dominance in 2023, thanks largely due to injuries and the form of Tadej Pogacar. Over the past few weeks, the team has said goodbye to riders like Jan Tratnik and Mick van Dijke, and now they have said goodbye to the talented young rider Johannes Staune-Mittet.

The Norwegian 22 year old had been part of the development team since 2021, and also won the Giro Next Gen back in 2023. But now Staune-Mittet will embark on a new chapter, with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, as he tries to take more of a name for himself in the peloton.

In a social media post, Visma Lease a Bike said goodbye to their former rider, “Thank you for all the years we enjoyed your constant smile and undeniable talent. Winning the 2023 Giro NextGen was the highlight of your four-year period with our team, a time that was truly fantastic.”

“We’ll never forget how you, even when injured, travelled to Italy at the end of the 2023 season to support your teammates and staff. Or how you appeared at the finish line this season at the Ronde de l’Isard, witnessing your former team mate Darren win the race. That says everything about you, showing that you’re not only an excellent cyclist but also a person of real class. It will bring you many more successes in the years to come.”