ANALYSIS: Visma's signing that should make UAE very afraid ahead of 2025 Tour de France
Cycling
After Tadej Pogacar's victory at the 2024 Tour de France, Team Visma | Lease a Bike's reaction had to come by 2025. The Slovenian's rivalry with Jonas Vingegaard right now is on the side of the UAE star. And the Dutch team knows it.
For that reason, Team Visma | Lease a Bike has taken this past off-season very seriously. In the cycling transfer market, several moments have been realized. But none as outstanding as the signing of Simon Yates. The Brit has immediately become the favourite to serve as Vingegaard's super domestique at the 2025 Tour de France. Given his track record and talent, UAE Team Emirates - XRG should be very fearful of the duo of Yates and the Dane.
Simon Yates already knows what it's like to win a grand tour. In 2018 he took the red jersey at the Vuelta a Espana. He also has 6 stage wins in the Giro d'Italia, 2 in the Tour and 2 in the Vuelta itself. He is one of the best cyclists in the world in the Grand Tour over the modern era.
Moreover, he himself is aware that his arrival at Visma is mainly to help Vingegaard. A similar case to that of Mikel Landa when he signed for Soudal Quick-Step. For the Belgian team the move worked out wonderfully, with the Basque 5th overall in the 2024 Tour and key to Remco Evenepoel being able to climb the podium.
The battle of the domestique brothers?
The fight between UAE and Visma for the Tour de France 2025 looks set to be beautiful. Along with what Pogacar and Vingegaard can do to each other in the grand finale, we will also be able to enjoy the battle between the "domestique brothers".
Adam Yates is likely to be part of the UAE lineup to serve Pogacar. With Simon Yates now on the other side, the feeling is that everything has become much more equal between the two teams. And that's not to mention the Joao Almeida, Sepp Kuss and company who could also be key to the fight.
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- I’m always amazed at how much people pay attention to such stuff cycling. Unless I’m alone and someone else is too, I pass, say hi and move on. On the rare occasions I get passed, if I’m in shape I’ll try to join or hang but I’ll not try to identify anyone (in any case, far too many amateurs dress in pro outfits). Similarly, when riding in groups, everyone seems to scouring and analysing other people’s equipment and set-ups (i.e. not really paying attention to the group, riding or the road) no wonder so many silly accidents happen. This also seems to be used as a rare excuse for breaking the ice whereas mentioning other more noticeable things like physionomic details a person probably isn’t aware of because they can’t see themselves riding (swinging hips, lateral knee jerks, foot turns, skewed shoulders etc.) doesn’t seem to be appreciated. Strange logic, forever fidgeting and paying in order to optimise your equipment for better performance but ignoring the potential you have for doing the same to yourself, often for free.Mistermaumau05-01-2025
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