Visma | Lease a Bike blow as they lose another key staff member - Head of Sport Management Team will leave position at end of season
CyclingMonday, 21 September 2026 at 12:03
Visma | Lease a Bike's Head of Sport Management Team Jacco Verhaeren has decided to leave the team at the end of the season, just over three years after joining the Dutch team.
Verhaeren will not renew his contract, which ends at the end of 2026 as the team confirmed that they will use the coming weeks to decide on the future structure of their performance team in the wake of his departure.
Verhaeren joined the team in summer 2023 and rose to the position of sporting director in 2025 following Merijn Zeeman's departure from the role. The former Olympic swim coach praised the team's work in recent years as he announced his decision to leave.
“Over the past few months, I have consciously taken time to reflect on my role within the team and the direction in which we are developing,” Verhaeren said in a press release.
Jonas Vingegaard, Visma - Lease a Bike star.
Verhaeren explains reason for departure
“In doing so, I have come to the conclusion that this team needs someone else for the next phase to take the next steps. I am proud of what we have built together, during which we went through a challenging transition while simultaneously managing to maintain a high level of performance.”
Team manager Richard Plugge praised his contribution through a period of transition that saw coach Tim Heemskerk leave in February this year as well as Grischa Niermann over the summer.
“Jacco is a top coach who has also proven within our team that he can effectively connect with both riders and coaches,” Team Manager Richard Plugge said.
Plugge praises his contribution to transition
“He has made a significant contribution to the transition to and development of our sports management. Sometimes the next phase of an organization calls for a different approach.”
Verhaeren will now focus on handing over his duties within the Dutch outfit's Sport Management Team in the coming months before he departs his role.
The team won the 2023 and 2025 Vuelta a Espana as well as the 2026 Giro d'Italia during his time at the team, as well as multiple high profile stage wins and Wout van Aert's Paris Roubaix victory this year.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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