"It is primarily to generate conversation" - Wout van Aert's 'lifelong' a commercial strategy from Visma, according to legislator
Cycling
A few days ago, Wout van Aert decided to sign a lifetime contract with Visma - Lease a Bike. It is the only team he has known in the World Tour, who have always trusted him and where he has achieved the best results of his career on the road.
The Belgian signed the agreement, declaring afterwards: "I've decided to stay here for good, and that really makes me feel good. Van Aert comes from a complicated 2024 season, with highs and lows, in which he suffered two terrible crashes that prevented him from shining more.
The second of these came just when he was returning to his best level in the Vuelta a España, with three stage victories and the option of more, leading the points classification, with a difference over the second, and the mountains classification, with the possibility of winning it as well.
Turning to his lifetime contract with Visma, Jean-Christophe Breillat, director of legal affairs at the Center for Sports Law and Economics (CDES), indicated that this arrangement may not be the best for the rider: "If in everyday life an open-ended contract is preferred, in professional sport it is the other way around. He is exposed to a greater risk of dismissal for professional inadequacy".
Pierre Rondeau, sports economist and co-director of the Sport and Society Observatory at the Jean-Jaurès Foundation, also spoke about it:
"The contract is likely to be a commitment that ends when the athlete retires from the sport. In an IDC, he or she would be rehired at the end of his or her career on the team's coaching staff. Even for the athlete, a contract that lasts until retirement is not beneficial. With a short commitment, he can negotiate signing bonuses and renegotiate his contract".
"It is primarily to generate conversation and highlight a much higher level of loyalty compared to other teams. The cyclist is 30 years old and will probably retire in the next five years. It's primarily to generate conversation and highlight a much higher level of loyalty compared to other teams."
In the world of sports, the closest and most well-known example is that of Andrés Iniesta with FC Barcelona. He signed a forever deal with the club of his life in 2017 and ended up leaving the following year to play for Vissel Kobe in Japan.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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