Visma full of confidence in Matteo Jorgenson: "After Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, he is currently the best rider in the world"

Matteo Jorgenson made the move to Team Visma | Lease a Bike and has been having a dream season. Recently selected to the Tour de France, winner of Paris-Nice, runner-up at Criterium du Dauphiné... And the American is coming into the Tour de France with freedom according to team DS Merijn Zeeman.

"Look, I think Matteo is a future leader of Visma | Lease a Bike. As a rider and a person, he is a very, very special guy. I also think he has a great career ahead of him. But to win the Tour now, that is really too early for him," Zeeman said in an honest interview with Wielerflits. The team has made it clear that despite the American's tremendous season - which give him some chances of the team changing their mind - he will be starting the Tour in support of Jonas Vingegaard who has the experience and is a proven winner at the Tour.

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But Jorgenson is such a strong rider that despite having this role, he can still finish on the podium as did Adam Yates last year. Zeeman comments on what Jorgenson may be doing this summer in France: “If it turns out that Jonas is too far away to compete for the yellow jersey, that could also open doors for Matteo. To gain much-needed experience in the classification. Matteo's role will therefore depend very much on the level that Jonas can reach in the Tour."

Hence Jorgenson has done his work, having finished second behind Primoz Roglic at the recent Criterium du Dauphiné, now it will very much depend on the preparation of the defending champion who hasn't raced since his brutal crash at Itzulia Basque Country. But as Zeeman says, the American is already happy with his season and what he has achieved.

“Matteo is extremely grateful that he was the leader in Paris-Nice, the classics and the Dauphiné. Of course, that all went great. I think that after Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel, he is currently the best rider in the world," Zeeman even goes as far as stating. "That is of course a great compliment for him. But he was very clear: Matteo wants to go to the Tour to help Jonas.”

Hence, it will be an interesting three weeks for the 24-year old, who has never tested himself as a Grand Tour contender, “But I also think that everyone knows our team. Tactically, we can always pull a rabbit out of the hat. So yes, who knows, there might still be something in it for Matteo this Tour de France.”