From van der Poel to van Aert - Alpecin classics specialist makes the switch to Team Visma | Lease a Bike
Cycling
Timo Kielich will leave Alpecin-Deceuninck at the end of the
season and join Team Visma | Lease a Bike in 2026. The 24-year-old Belgian from
Sint-Truiden has become a key domestique in the spring classics for Mathieu van
der Poel’s team, but will now take on a similar role within the Dutch squad.
Kielich is also active in cyclocross, gravel, and mountain biking, and has
gained valuable stage race experience by riding the Giro d’Italia in both 2024
and 2025. This year, he also won the mountains classification at the Tour de
Pologne.
“He will take on a similar role with us,” said Head of
Racing Grischa Niermann in a team press release. “Timo is a valuable addition
to our spring classics squad to support our leaders (namely Van der Poel’s arch
rival Wout van Aert e.d.). Every year, we deal with changes in the team, that’s
normal. With Timo’s arrival, we’re anticipating the departure of certain riders
from our classics squad. In addition, he will have opportunities in other races
to go for his own results. We also believe he can become an even better rider
within our team.”
Kielich is enthusiastic about the move. “I see this as a
great opportunity for myself,” he said. “This is only my second year in the
WorldTour, but when you include my offroad years, I’ve already been part of the
same team for eight years. A change of environment will be good for me, and I’m
curious to see what it will be like in a new team. Besides the classics, I’m
also looking forward to riding a Grand Tour with a team aiming for the general
classification.”
Alpecin-Deceuninck have been hit by several departures this
transfer window. Alongside Kielich, Quinten Hermans and Xandro Meurisse will
move to Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, Fabio Van den Bossche and Edward Planckaert
will join Soudal Quick-Step, while Gianni Vermeersch is heading to Red
Bull–BORA-hansgrohe.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- 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
- 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
Write a comment