Have Visma signed next Slovenian superstar? 19-year-old talent follows in Primoz Roglic's footsteps

Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Development Team has confirmed three roster moves ahead of the 2026 season: the signings of Aldo Taillieu and Sven Mernik, and a one-year contract extension for Jonas Hoydahl.

Taillieu, a 20-year-old Belgian, joins on a two-year deal following a strong debut U23 season that included a prologue win at the Tour of Rwanda. Mernik, a Slovenian climber, signs a one-year contract, while Norwegian all-rounder Hoydahl will continue with the Dutch team for a third season.

These additions bring the development squad to 15 riders for 2026.

“With these three riders, we strengthen ourselves once again on all fronts,” said Head of Development Robbert de Groot in an official press release. “Jonas is an all-rounder and a loyal soldier for our team, entering his third consecutive year with us. Don’t forget that as a junior, he came from mountain biking and had barely raced on the road. He’s made huge progress with us, and we believe he still has room to grow."

"We expect Aldo to continue developing as a classics rider, but his sprint and time-trial skills are also promising. We want to help him reach his full potential," he adds. "And Sven is a raw diamond as a climber. We’re very curious to see what progress he can make with our team’s support.”

Taillieu has shown potential in short time trials and one-day races, and will be expected to continue his development across both classics-style terrain and support roles in stage races.

“I’m really excited about this step,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the structured way of working and the expertise within the team when it comes to nutrition and training. I want to keep improving in all areas. Hopefully, I can grow into a strong classics rider with the support of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but I’m also eager to help the team in stage races with a leader who can go for the win.”

Mernik, 19, is relatively untested at international level but has shown promise as a climber. He becomes the latest Slovenian rider to enter the WorldTour development pipeline, following in the footsteps of Tadej Pogacar and Primoz Roglic - who remains a key influence.

“I want to become a professional cyclist, and this brings me a step closer to that goal,” Mernik said. “As a kid, I already followed this team — Primoz Roglic has always been one of my biggest sporting heroes. I’ve seen the team grow into one of the best in the world, and I’m very proud to be joining it.”

Hoydahl, who came into the team from a mountain biking background, continues to be developed as a support rider across a variety of terrains.