"This is about a 22-year-old athlete, his whole world has completely collapsed" - Jumbo-Visma keen on supporting Michel Hessmann after anti-doping violation

Jumbo-Visma's Michel Hessmann has tested positive for a diuretic medicine in the weeks following his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d'Italia. He's been suspended by the team but they are looking to support him through it.

“Painful. A message that we as a team and I as a coach had hoped we would never get," team DS Merijn Zeeman told Wielerflits. "We want to play an exemplary role when it comes to anti-doping policy. We are working on it, that should be clear. In addition, the person Michel is just as important to us. As a human being, he deserves our support. Make no mistake, this is about a 22-year-old athlete, his whole world has completely collapsed. We also keep an eye on that mental part.”

Hessmann was one of the most valuable under-23 riders on the market, third last year at the Tour de l'Avenir, and as he was part of the team's development ranks it was a logical move. Only as a domestique, but he's already shown good legs this year. He raced all the way into the World Championships but his test was conclusive only afterwards.

Jumbo-Visma is looking for ways to navigate the situation. “This test hits us harder because we are so successful. Should I be less proud when we may have won three Grand Tours? Because a young rider may have made a mistake? That is ultimately up to the outside world. Not to me. Everything stands and falls with the results of the investigation and we do not know them yet," he concluded.