"A strong Jorgenson, a good Benoot and again an eager Van Aert" - After Kuurne, Marc Sergeant does not worry about Visma's lack of results on Opening Weekend
Cycling
Olav Kooij did finish second at Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, however Team Visma | Lease a Bike won't be fully happy with their performance in the Opening Weekend as it's classics specialists were unable to make the difference. However, there is still a month to go for their big goals, and former Lotto manager Marc Sergeant isn't concerned this will continue to be the case after Kuurne.
"After the Omloop I still had mixed feelings. We were promised champagne, but the bottle was never uncorked. "Every time you thought 'now it's going to happen!', nothing happened again," Marc Sergeant told Het Nieuwsblad. Spectator wise, both races ended up lacking the traditional explosive action, and both races ended in a bunch sprint between large groups - without successful long-range attacks as well.
"Visma-Lease a Bike was also guilty of it. The way Van Aert himself failed to close the gap after the Molenberg was not a good sign. But the way he then, when Benoot had finally made the connection, let thirty men pass before he finally caught up, was even worrying. That's not your best legs."
After Saturday, where the Dutch team did not even crack a Top10, there were worrying signs, and good signs for the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel as no-one was able to make the difference and stand out from the race.
But in Kuurne - Bruxelles - Kuurne, despite being a difficult race to make the difference, Wout van Aert's attacks looked strong and the team as a whole was more active. "After Sunday, I'm less strict again. Visma-Lease a Bike isn't that bad. I saw a strong Jorgenson, a good Benoot and again an eager Van Aert. His action could even have caused the turning point in the race." Positioning was often the issue, costing valuable energy but also preventing the use of energy on the attacks.
"At one point, Van Aert seems to be riding towards the leading group with Spaniard Adrià from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe in his wheel. Only Adria refuses to cooperate. Incomprehensible," Sergeant argued. "Adria pointed to his sprinter behind him and that that was why he didn't want to ride along. But if Van Aert and Adria join the front, Red Bull will be much more set. That's why I wouldn't worry too much about Visma-Lease a Bike. They'll be there in April."
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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