"He not only knows our culture" - Visma appoint former rider as new Sporting Director as Richard Plugge praises former Vingegaard teammate
Cycling
Visma | Lease a Bike have appointed former rider Nathan van Hooydonck as their new Sporting Director with immediate effect. A former rider in the team from 2021 to 2023, the Belgian will now lead the team's sporting operations after re-joining after retirement in September 2024.
A a heart muscle anomaly led to him being fitted with an internal defibrillator, forcing him to retire at the age of 27 in September 2023. Stepping into the new position, the team hope his recent expereicne of the rider and skills learned about the industry as part of their business team over the past two years can contribute to his success in the role.
Team CEO Richard Plugge praised van Hooydonck's progression since joining the staff after retirement. The 30-year-old will lead the Sport Management Team and will be responsible for defining and overseeing the team’s key sporting objectives.
"Nathan is still young, but incredibly eager to learn and someone who feels completely connected to this team and to what we want to achieve together. He not only knows our culture, he acts according to it and embodies it," Plugge said in an announcement.
"For years, I have also seen how determined he is to win and how much it means to him when we do not. As a former rider, he also has the credibility to have an opinion on the sport and to express it."
Richard Plugge
Van Hooydonck brings racing and business experience
Plugge is confident that he can thrive in the role as he credited his experience and knowledge for the role: "Through his experience within the Business Team, he has quickly learned to look beyond the sporting side of things and to see the connection with the rest of our organization. That gives us confidence that he will do a very good job in this role.
"And he certainly will not be doing it alone. With people such as Mathieu Heijboer, who has been and will continue to be an important part of our organization, Nathan can draw on a great deal of knowledge and experience.”
Returning to the sporting side of the team, van Hooydonck hopes that his experience gained on the business side of the structure can contribute to his new role.
“It feels very special to return to the sporting side of the team. I was part of it myself as a rider and know how much passion and ambition there is within this organization," van Hooydonck said.
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He credits Richard Plugge with development
"Over the past period, being part of the Business Team has allowed me to see much more of the organization from a different perspective."
He added: "It has helped me to better understand the organization and experience how all the different parts are connected. Richard has also played a huge role in my development and in giving me the opportunity I now have to take on this role within the team.”
Van Hooydonck was part of the team's Tour de France squad and a valuable teammate to Jonas Vingegaard in their 2022 and 2023 yellow jersey wins. A classics specialist and rouleur, the Belgian also took top twenty results in Paris Roubaix and Tour of Flanders in 2023.
The news comes after the team confirmed late last month that Jacco Verhaeren would leave the team at the end of the year. The outgoing Head of the Sport Management Team decided not to renew his contract.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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