Johan Bruyneel sees 'serious issues' with Visma's 2025 Tour de France plans: "I’m not a fan of this approach"
Cycling
Team Visma | Lease a Bike's quest to reclaim the Maillot Jaune at the 2025 Tour de France is one of the most interesting stories to follow this season. Just how do Jonas Vingegaard and co go about defeating Tadej Pogacar later this summer? Some of Visma's plans are already raising questions in the opinion of Johan Bruyneel.
Among the plans that the former sports director questions on the latest episode of The Move podcast, is what Visma have in store for new signing Simon Yates in 2025. The British former Vuelta a Espana winner is set to lead Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the Giro d'Italia before turning his hand to a super domestique role at the Tour de France in support of Vingegaard.
"I’m not a fan of this approach — going all-in for the Giro and then suddenly becoming the last man for your leader in the Tour de France," Bruyneel comments doubtfully. "Visma shouldn’t gamble everything on the Tour, although I also think that’s the only way to beat Tadej Pogacar. You need to ensure you’re sending your best team and going all out. But that makes it risky to send Simon Yates to the Giro first."
Bruyneel also has doubts about the projected selection of another of Visma's new signings, Victor Campenaerts. "I have serious issues with this decision. Dylan van Baarle is someone you can rely on. He has the power, the experience, and he always sacrifices himself for the team. I’ve seen him do incredible things in the Tour that Jonas Vingegaard won, and I thought, ‘Wow.’," says Bruyneel. "You can also use him in the flat stages. Apparently, he’s been replaced by Victor Campenaerts. I don’t think Campenaerts is at Van Baarle’s level as a rider. He’s good, don’t get me wrong, but he doesn’t come close to Van Baarle."
One thing to note though, is that as we remain around half a year away from the 2025 Tour de France, just because something is pencilled in now, doesn't mean it's not up for change before the summer. Something will happen," Bruyneel concludes. "One or two of the riders announced now won’t make it to the Tour de France. They’ll either be injured or sick, and the team will have to call up replacements they previously ruled out for the Tour. Of course, Van Baarle will be ready, but in my team, he would always be included from the start. You simply can’t leave him out."
🇦🇺 #TourDownUnder
— Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) January 17, 2025
Back to road racing soon 🤩 pic.twitter.com/2R7PTtbx6D
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