"Internal competition is only a positive thing" - Matteo Jorgenson ready to contest for Grand Tour leadership at Visma

Matteo Jorgenson has had a very successful opening season at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, taking notable victories for himself and excelling in a support role at the Tour de France. In 2025 though, could a Grand Tour leadership opportunity arise for Jorgenson himself?

"It was almost an accomplishment, just joining the team I had in my mind for a long time that I wanted to join - the best team I possibly could," the former Movistar Team rider says in conversation with Cycling News. "I know how the sport works, and I know that you need resources and support to get to your best level, and so I was even willing to join a team where I wouldn't have as many opportunities if I could try to take advantage of the resources and the team at my disposal."

Read also

Matteo Jorgenson reveals that he was close to not signing with Visma for 2024 - "I was certainly open to INEOS"

As mentioned, that's proved a positive switch for Jorgenson too with starring performances at Paris-Nice, the Criterium du Dauphine, the Tour de France and others. Given the strength in depth at Visma though, with the likes of Jonas Vingegaard, Sepp Kuss, Cian Uijtdebroeks and from 2025, Simon Yates among others, the competition for leadership opportunities is fierce. 

"I think for me, [internal competition] is only a positive thing. If you want leadership, which I think some riders do, some riders don't, but I think if you do, and I did, then I needed to prove to the team that I was ready for that and capable of that," says Jorgenson of potential Grand Tour leadership. "It only helped me to have other guys fighting for the same opportunity. So really, it just keeps you motivated and keeps you sharp"

The American has left an impression on the staff too. "We expected, of course, a lot from him, but winning Paris-Nice was a big surprise. And he won a Classic, did a really strong Tour de France and Olympics. He is also a great leader for the team," says Frans Maassen, sports director at Visma. "I think it's possible one year he can be on the podium of a Grand Tour, I would say. It's not impossible that he can reach that, but we have to see that in the next years. He's very good on many terrains so he can also win Classics, we'll just have to see. But winning a Grand Tour, that will be a really huge challenge but I think he can do a really good placement in the next years somewhere. However, you also have to make choices and I don't know if he will always like to go to the Tour de France. With Jonas [Vingegaard], of course, it's difficult to be a leader with him if you go, but anything is possible."

Read also

"They are so resilient. Real team players too" - Big praise for Jonas Vingegaard & Wout van Aert from Visma domestique