"There is something wrong with that team" - Is this the reason why Wout van Aert and Visma are struggling?

Wout van Aert’s difficult start to the 2025 Spring Classics has triggered a wave of speculation, not only about his form but about deeper issues at Team Visma | Lease a Bike. While van Aert has been under pressure following a lacklustre performance at the E3 Saxo Classic and a generally quiet spring so far, some pundits are now pointing the finger beyond the rider himself.

Belgian cycling commentator Michel Wuyts, speaking on the Wuyts & Vlaeminck podcast, has suggested that van Aert’s struggles may be symptomatic of a wider malaise within the team, one that can be traced back to the departure of long-time sports manager Merijn Zeeman.

Wuyts didn’t hold back when diagnosing the current atmosphere within Visma’s ranks.

"There is something wrong with that team," he said, adding that the squad appears to be suffering from multiple small but significant problems. “There are some sore spots here and there. Riders who are coming back from long-term misery, like Van Baarle. Van Aert, who I have never seen come back so weak from an altitude training camp. It can change quickly, you know, but there is something wrong everywhere.”

That assessment is particularly stinging. Van Aert’s build-up included a high-altitude training block on Mount Teide, a routine he has used successfully in the past. But unlike previous years, the results have not yet materialised, prompting questions about whether something has changed in the process or the environment surrounding it.

Central to Wuyts’ theory is the impact of Merijn Zeeman’s departure. A key architect of Visma’s modern era, Zeeman helped guide the team through its transformation into one of the most dominant forces in pro cycling. His exit left a leadership void that, according to Wuyts, has yet to be convincingly filled.

“I think that people miss the figure of Zeeman. He was someone with a natural charisma, with control. When he spoke, he put things in order. I have the impression that they don't have a worthy replacement for him. That Heijboer can't do what he could. It's a feeling, but when Zeeman spoke, I listened.”