Rabobank reportedly set to make shock return to the peloton with Team Visma | Lease a Bike

More than 12 years after leaving the peloton, according to reports in the Netherlands, Rabobank are set to return to professional cycling and return to the fold as one of the main sponsors of Team Visma | Lease a Bike.

According to a report by Wielerflits, this is a move that has been discussed behind the scenes for some time. "For over a year and a half, Rabobank has been in talks with Visma | Lease a Bike, first via team manager Richard Plugge and later via sports marketing agencies Kumpany and TIG Sports, about a return to cycling," they report. "Since Belgian Stefaan Decraene became CEO of the Dutch bank on 1 January 2023, Rabobank's management has been keen to cautiously discuss a possible 'return' to cycling."

The former title sponsor of the now-Team Visma | Lease a Bike, Rabobank were a recognisable sight in the peloton for nearly two decades. "Rabobank will also once again become a partner of the professional cycling teams (men, women and promises). It will take BetCity's place on the shirt from the upcoming Tour de France," Wielerflits says. "That company is currently still on the sides of the upper body. Gambling sites in the Netherlands will no longer be allowed to do sports sponsorship from 1 July 2025, which forced Betcity to stop supporting the cycling teams."

And although the reputation of the former Rabobank team was somewhat soured by doping, both alleged and proven, enough time has now more than likely passed to ensure a fresh, untainted opinion from the majority of cycling fans.

With Team Visma | Lease a Bike already one of the peloton's powerhouses, with multiple Grand Tour victories in the last few years and notable riders such as Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, Sepp Kuss and Simon Yates among others, the extra sponsorship could give the Dutch-team an extra advantage in the fight against UAE Team Emirates - XRG in the coming years.