Despite some complications, the 2026 season is beginning to pick up speed for Visma | Lease a Bike who have claimed their second triumph of the year at Vuelta a Andalucia thanks to Christophe Laporte. The 33-year-old Frenchman has been through many hardships in recent years and to start the season on a high is very positive for Visma's Classics ambitions.
The opening stage of Vuelta a Andalucia has been but a simple sprinter day with over 2.000 meters of climbing, of which most was concentrated into the stage's first half. Even though some fast men struggled to keep up on the early climbs, that was not the case for Laporte who entered the last kilometers with a support of his full team as only Soren Waerenskjold could pose a serious threat in the sprint.
"It's fantastic to start the season this way," Laporte said via team website. "I really wanted to ride a few races before the classics season starts. I had a good winter and was looking forward to starting my season today. During the race, I felt strong and was able to keep up with the pace of the guys on the climbs. We were in control all day and always had someone from our team in the front group."
"In the final, the team did an excellent job of bringing me to the front," Laporte continued. "In the sprint, I got to the front a little too early, so I decided to slow down for a moment. I followed the wheel of the riders in front of me and started the sprint at about 200 meters. I went full to the finish line and saw that I had enough of a lead. It's great to be able to finish the work of my teammates like this."
A deserved reward
The entire Visma didn't just sit back and wait for the sprint though as Victor Campenaerts tried to cause havoc from the opening kilometers with a pleiad of attacks, looking to tear the bunch apart on the long, draggy ascents. Although he didn't succeed in this effort, the pace turned out too much for fast men Milan Frentin or Fernando Gaviria, easing the job for Laporte. And as an addition, Campenaerts was rewarded with a beautiful KoM leader jersey.
"This is a very good start," nodded sports director Marc Reef. "Victor jumped away immediately after the start and created a good situation for us. After he got caught, the attacks followed one after another. Our men were very sharp and Christophe in particular showed that he is in good shape. In the end, everything came together again and we took control of the peloton."
"In the last kilometer, Axel [Zingle] braked a little too early, causing Christophe to take the lead too soon. He had to hold back for a moment, but then you can see that his instincts are excellent and he starts the sprint at the right moment. It's great that he's taken a victory right away after a difficult year. He really deserves it."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses 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.
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