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.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 10visitors 10
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
9 Comments