No Wout van Aert as Laporte and Uijtdebroeks lead Visma at the Bretagne Classic

Team Visma | Lease a Bike have confirmed their line-up for this weekend’s Bretagne Classic, bringing a mix of experienced leaders and younger talents to one of the most demanding one-day races of the final part of the year. The squad will be spearheaded by Olav Kooij and Christophe Laporte, joined by Loe van Belle, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Tiesj Benoot, Menno Huising and Tijmen Graat. Wout van Aert will not feature, as he winds down after a heavy season that has already included the cobbled monuments, the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. With no Van Aert, the responsibility will be shared among the team’s younger riders and seasoned classics men, all of whom have different goals heading into the 260km test across Brittany’s punishing roads.

Kooij is looking forward to the challenge and knows the nature of the race does not often suit the fast men. “Bretagne Classic is always a tough race, with a long distance, a lot of climbing and small twisting roads that make it very nervous. It’s not easy for sprinters, but if the race comes back together, I know I can be up there. I’m motivated to go for a result. We have a strong team that can support me in the finale. Hopefully it comes down to a sprint, because then I definitely want to be there fighting for the victory,” he says.

The Dutch sprinter enters the race in good condition, buoyed by his recent showing at the Renewi Tour where he finished fifth. “Last week in the Renewi Tour I felt really good. It was a big boost for my confidence. It shows that my shape is where it needs to be at this point in the season,” Kooij underlines. For him, Bretagne Classic represents both a test and an opportunity to build on strong late-season form.

Alongside Kooij, Laporte brings renewed optimism after a difficult year disrupted by injury and setbacks. The Frenchman, racing on home soil, is realistic about his role but happy to be back in the peloton. “It was nice to be back in the bunch in Renewi, even if it was harder than I expected. Step by step I was improving there, and I’m looking forward to racing again,” Laporte explains.

After missing much of the 2025 campaign, simply returning to top-level competition is a milestone. “Bretagne Classic is a really hard and long race, and it’s always special to race in my home country. Normally, in good shape, I could aim for a result myself, but right now I’m really happy to focus on helping the team.”

Laporte also sees the race as a key part of his progression back to peak fitness. “Last Sunday I was quite happy with what I could already do for the team and with how my shape felt. Bretagne Classic will be a good race to build endurance, and it will be good to see where I stand. I’m confident the shape will come back. As a rider you always hope for more, but cycling is tough and you need a lot of training to be at your best. I’m motivated to reach the level where I can play a role in the finale again. The upcoming races will be good opportunities to keep making progress,” he concludes.

Sports Director Frans Maassen believes the team can adapt to different scenarios on race day and has faith in his riders’ versatility. “We hope to ride a strong race. We have multiple options for the finale, and that’s important in a race like this. For Olav, it’s certainly a challenge, but one he starts with a lot of motivation. The course might be slightly less hard than Liège - Bastogne - Liege, but it’s still a huge effort. If you can start the descents from the front each time, you’re already a long way ahead,” he points out.

The Dutch team boss also highlighted the potential of Benoot and Uijtdebroeks, whose roles will be vital. “For Tiesj this is a race that suits him perfectly, and he has proven that in the past. Cian has also shown great form in recent weeks. It may not be exactly his type of race, but he can learn a lot. The Bretagne Classic is always a fair race. This year it has been made even harder, which promises a spectacular battle.”