"Jonas shared everything and really wanted to pass it on to me" - Visma's supertalent Jorgen Nordhagen will show what has he learnt from the Tour de France champion in Oman this week

Team Visma | Lease a Bike have been off the radar so far in 2025, having only competed at the obligatory Tour Down Under in January. But the big races are slowly approaching and so it's time to get racing also for one of the strongest teams in the world. A young team, which includes the extremely promising Norwegian neo-pro Jorgen Nordhagen, will aim to succeed at Tour of Oman.

As always, the Dutch formation hopes to aim high in the general classification with youngsters Nordhagen and Cian Uijtdebroeks: "It is a conscious choice of the team to give our young talents opportunities in the somewhat smaller races from now on. Then those guys can learn what it is like to ride finals, without being in service of a leader," the sports director Maarten Wynants explains in a press release. "It is difficult to predict the Tour of Oman, but of course we hope that Jørgen and Cian will take their chances."

"My season will largely consist of stage races like this," Nordhagen adds. "Development is the most important thing this year. That's what everything is about. Most races will be where we are at the start with a balanced group, without a clear leader. There will be opportunities to go for own success. I'm looking forward to that. Hopefully I can make nice steps in 2025 that will pay off in results."

"The two training camps in Spain went well. In December at training camp I shared a room with Jonas Vingegaard. Jonas is a fantastic rider, but above all a very normal and kind person. A good learning point for me was to see his daily preparations for training sessions up close. He shared everything and really wanted to pass it on to me. That's special, of course."

"In the first months with the team you immediately notice the difference between the Development Team and the WorldTeam. The interaction and dynamics are of course different with older riders next to you. I think I fit very well in a team of older riders and young talents. It’s all about cooperation. Suppose Cian is doing well in the Tour of Oman, I will be the first to sacrifice myself for him and put the team success first," the rider says.

Tour of Oman culminates with the final stage that will finish on Jabal Al Akhdhar, also known as the Green Mountain. "That is probably where the race will be decided. For me it is important not to lose time in the more flat and fast stages. I am also curious about our new sprint train. Where it’s possible, I want to contribute there too. Cycling in the Middle East will be a totally new experience for me. As a cyclist you have to appreciate traveling and enjoy all the new places, environments and cultures you end up in. I'm definitely going to do that," Nordhagen concludes.