"Jonas & Wout I don't think you realise how big of an impact you have" - Nathan van Hooydonck sends heartfelt message to former teammates as he comes to terms with retirement

Arguably Team Visma | Lease a Bike's two biggest stars, Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert have had difficult seasons in 2024 due to injuries and crashes. In truth however, their respective struggles pale in comparison to what former teammate Nathan van Hooydonck has gone through.

The Belgian was a key teammate in Vingegaard's Maillot Jaune wins at the Tour de France in recent seasons and looked set to once again play an important part for Team Visma | Lease a Bike across the 2025 season. Sadly for Van Hooydonck however, life had other plans and after suffering a cardiac arrest whilst driving his heavily pregnant wife and crashing his car as a result, the 28-year-old was forced to hang up his cycling shoes prematurely.

On Team Visma | Lease a Bike's YouTube channel, a new video titled "A True Renaissance: Our Tour de France 2024 - Inside the Beehive" Nathan van Hooydonck shares a warm message to both Van Aert and Vingegaard, expressing how their dogged determination on and off the bike this year has helped him come to terms with his own recovery and shock retirement.

"To Wout & Jonas. When I saw you on tv crying from the pain on the side of the road, I wanted to switch places," Van Hooydonck explains. "I would have taken your injuries if that were possible. Just so you could go on chasing your goals and chasing your ambitions like we did together over the past years."

"I'm still trying to accept the fact that I had to retire. Jonas & Wout, I don't think you realise how big of an impact you have on this process," the Belgian adds. "You guys give me so much energy when I see videos from you back on the bike, recovering, getting better, improving and chasing your goals."