"Take Simon Yates: there is simply no Dutch rider who can do what he can" - Visma DS on the need to shift away from national focus

Several teams within pro cycling have quite a lot of focus in the riders of their nationality, but when a team reaches the top levels this has to be sacrificed. Grischa Niermann, head DS at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, discussed how the team looks to develop it's country's talents but that at times they do not wish to be in the team, and in other cases the team simply has to look elsewhere.

"We are a team with Dutch roots, but we now also have a lot of international sponsors. Above all, we want to be the best team in the world, and for that we need the best riders," Niermann said in an interview with Wielerevue. "If a Dutch rider and a foreigner are of the same level, we will probably choose the Dutch rider. But we will mainly choose the best rider".

The team managed to sign Tom Dumoulin but he didn't end up fulfilling his potential as a Grand Tour rider with the team. The likes of Robert Gesink, Wilco Kelderman and Steven Kruijswijk promised a lot in their day, but later transformed into experienced domestiques for the team. The likes of Dylan van Baarle and Olav Kooij still perform, but when it comes to climbers there are simply limited resources which have forced the team to hunt for leaders away from the Netherlands.

"It's great and important that we have good Dutch riders, but our goal is bigger than that. Uno-X Mobility is a team with a great structure, but they do limit themselves by only taking Danes and Norwegians in the team. We can't choose from all Dutch riders either, because some riders consciously choose to ride for another team. That's fine too [...] Take Simon Yates: there is simply no Dutch rider who can do what he can," they explain. Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss and now Yates fill in virtually all leadership positions within the team for 2025, and the roster will have only eight Dutch riders.

"We've been in talks with Jelte Krijnsen, but he chose Team Jayco-AlUla. It's also no secret that we would have liked to continue with Tim and Mick van Dijke. They only want to be co-leaders in the classics. Just like Jelte. I can understand that, but with the team we have, we simply can't promise that," he explains.

The team also deposits a lot of confidence in it's leaders, and there is a mutual benefit when it comes to this situation. With Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert in the lead, Niermann says that the team is in no need to sign another big leader, until the day where they find someone who is willing to overcome it's current main men.

"If you take a step and you become stronger than Wout, then we are the team that gives you chances. Look at Jonas [Vingegaard] in the past with Primoz [Roglic]," he gives as an example. "But yes, if we want to win the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, then Wout still has the best chance with us".