Team Picnic PostNL look to Van Uden & Vermaerke after Max Poole is forced to withdraw from Vuelta a Espana contention

Team Picnic PostNL have been dealt a significant blow on the eve of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, with their star rider Max Poole ruled out after being diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus.

In Poole’s absence, the team will look to riders like Patrick Eddy, Chris Hamilton, Casper van Uden, and Kevin Vermaerke to animate the race and chase stage wins that could bring crucial UCI points in the battle for survival. Colombian Juan Guillermo Martínez, a surprise and promising addition to the squad, could also prove to be a key figure.

Team coach Phil West reflected on the challenge ahead in a press release on the team's official website: “We’ve had a really good build-up towards the Vuelta after spending some time at altitude in Kühtai – thanks to our partner Vaya – to prepare for the upcoming three weeks of racing."

"We are disappointed to lose Max [Poole] from our line-up as he’s been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus, but with a good group here we’re looking forward to getting things underway in Torino this weekend. As we reach Spain, we’ve got a team time trial – something we have nice memories of, having won the opening stage in Barcelona a few years ago. Coming on Stage 5 this time around, it adds a different dimension," West continues.

"In general, it’s a parcours based largely in the northern half of Spain, where we can expect a number of tricky stages, punchy climbs, and technical routes. We’ve got some sprint opportunities early on, and we’ll be looking to take those on with Casper as our finisher. The climbing then comes thick and fast. We’ll be hunting for chances in the breakaways, but also going for results from the bunch if the stages play out that way – with guys like Kevin, Chris and the rest of our climbing group."

Despite Poole's withdrawal, the team remain optimistic for success as well. "In a Grand Tour, every day brings a new challenge, but also a new opportunity. Not everything always goes exactly as you expect, so it’s important for us as a group to stay resilient, work together and adapt to what the race throws at us. We’ll head into each day with a simple but clear goal – to get the maximum out of every stage and the three weeks. After a successful Tour de France, morale in the group is high, and everyone here is motivated to carry that momentum into the Vuelta – as we’ve done in previous editions,” West concludes.

Patrick Eddy
Chris Hamilton
Bjorn Koerdt
Gijs Leemreize
Juan Guillermo Martínez
Timo Roosen
Casper van Uden
Kevin Vermaerke