Several reports that Simon Yates to Team Visma | Lease a Bike is confirmed for 2025

The transfer market only opens in early August but behind the scenes the negotiations are buzzing. Team Visma | Lease a Bike are losing Jan Tratnik, the van Dijke twins and Koen Bouwman at the very least... But several sources report that Simon Yates is a done deal for 2025.

This is set to be one of the main transfers of the winter. Yates, leader of Team Jayco AlUla at the upcoming Tour de France, was fourth in the last edition and this season has ridden to victory at the AlUla Tour. Ever since he's had a spring under the radar, and has not raced since the Tour de Romandie. However, this formula worked to perfection last year.

The Briton is still displaying the same climbing numbers that he had in the late 2010's, where he also managed to win the Vuelta a España in 2018 - months after a superb Giro d'Italia where he was set for victory before dramatically cracking on the Col du Finèstre. A stage winner on all three Grand Tours, he also finished on the podium of the 2021 Giro d'Italia.

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Visma lost Primoz Roglic last winter and whilst the signing of Cian Uijtdebroeks may prove very successful for future years, the Belgian has thus far not yet brought the big results the team hoped for and was forced to abandon the Giro d'Italia earlier this spring. Matteo Jorgenson on the other hand has won Paris-Nice, finished second at the Criterium du Daupiné and will be a key support rider for Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France - but doesn't yet have any experience fighting for the overall classification of a Grand Tour.

The signing of Yates will further boost the team's climbing ranks against an ever-growing UAE Team Emirates. He will join compatriots Ben Tulett, Tom Gloag and Matthew Brennan in the Dutch team.