"You need to know each other in and out" - Wout Van Aert's agent reacts to another "lifelong" contract

The second "lifelong" contract in cycling world has been announced earlier this week with Mads Pedersen set to wear the Lidl-Trek jersey for the rest of his career. It's not hard to imagine where did the inspiration come from...

"We didn't think we would become a trendsetter," smiles Wout Van Aert's agent/manager Jef Van den Bosch at Sporza. "Our contract was unique, but I didn't think it would be copied in such a short time. We do see that our contract extension has made other teams think. And that the riders are also prepared to go along with this."

It's quite obvious that both parties must be interested in such a deal. "It is a story that always matures on both sides. You grow together towards something like this, although it will only apply to a limited number of riders."

Pedersen and Van Aert are both top riders with impressive track record and long history with their current teams. "Their story is similar, yes. Of course, these are riders who already have a higher salary and have a track record."

Stability is the key word. "There will always be or have been better financial opportunities, but the stability is worth more to them than opting resolutely for the money," Van den Bosch recognizes. "Otherwise they would have done that much earlier in their career."

And what's there for the teams themselves in such deal? Van den Bosch explains the importance of such contracts when searching for new investors. "It is clear who the leader and the figurehead is. As a team you can then communicate clearly to your partners and sponsors, because they are also asking themselves that question. There is no more uncertainty."

"At Visma | Lease a Bike, Rabobank has been brought back on board and a rider like Wout van Aert has given his commitment," he lists the assets of the Dutch team. "Don't forget that he is more than a rider. Wout is a personality in all areas. He transcends cycling."

But aren't there pitfalls in such a marriage? "Of course, but I am convinced that such a contract is only negotiable if the rider and the team know each other inside and out. You have to be a child of the house, because trust is essential. When you have been through almost everything together, you know what you have in each other and you make such a decision. The match has to be perfect."