Team Visma | Lease a Bike's Lennard Hofstede has decided to call time on his career as a professional bike rider, just days after his 29th birthday.
"To be clear, this is not a difficult or unpleasant decision. I felt it was coming for a while," begins his farewell message to the team's official website. "I was not completely fit lately and I gradually lost the pleasure in riding races. And that is the essence of my professional cycling life. Therefore, this decision feels good and I am especially grateful for the many great experiences I have had here. I am really stopping with a smile."
Having been within the Visma set up since their Rabobank days back in 2013 (aside from a short spell with Sunweb ed.) Hofstede has proven himself capable in some of the biggest races, including the 2020 Vuelta a Espana where he helped Primoz Roglic secure overall victory. "I am also going to miss the whole Team Visma | Lease a Bike family. They were very beautiful and intense years together," he concludes.
"We are definitely going to miss Lennard," adds sports director Merijn Zeeman. "He was always of value. It is also brave of him to make that decision. He can be proud of his career, and so are we. We wish Lennard all the best in his further life."
Lennard Hofstede has decided to end his professional cycling career with immediate effect. "This decision feels good and I am especially grateful for the many great experiences I have had here."
— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) December 31, 2023
Thank you for everything, Lennard. 🙌
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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