Bart Lemmen is pinching himself: "Who would have thought 12 months ago that things would turn out like this?"

If there’s one Visma | Lease a Bike rider who has made incredible progress in 2024, it’s Bart Lemmen. The Dutchman joined the team late in 2023 as a last-minute addition but quickly made his mark. Thanks to some unexpected opportunities, he earned himself a debut in the Tour de France. "Looking back now, after an incredible year, I can say it went far better than I had expected or even dared to dream," Lemmen reflected in a blog for his team.

Joining the star-studded team on a one-year contract, Lemmen kicked off his season at the Tour Down Under, a WorldTour race. "It was a very special trip. Right away, I spent three weeks with a new group on the other side of the world. I’d never been to Australia, so it was an amazing adventure to kick things off. I didn’t set any expectations for myself that week. I just wanted to give my best. The fact that I ended up competing for a good GC result was a huge surprise," said Lemmen, who finished fifth.

"It was great to prove to myself right away that I belonged at the WorldTour level, especially since I’d only completed one full season as a professional cyclist," said the ex-military rider, who continued his strong start with a tenth place in the UAE Tour. "I knew I could climb and time trial reasonably well, but I didn’t expect to perform at WorldTour level so soon. From the start of the year, I was in good shape, which led to some nice results."

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Lemmen on making the Tour selection: "I did pinch myself at times"

Lemmen’s progress hit a bump when he broke his collarbone during the first stage of the Volta a Catalunya, sidelining him for a while. However, he proved his recovery in May with a second-place finish at the Tour of Norway, following strong performances in the Tour de Romandie. His season continued at the Critérium du Dauphiné, where the team faced a tough blow with injuries for Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss and Dylan van Baarle, putting their Tour de France plans in jeopardy.

At first, Lemmen didn’t expect to be in the Tour lineup, but eventually, he came into the picture. "I was sitting on the couch at home when Grischa called to say I was the intended replacement if Sepp didn’t recover in time,” Lemmen says. “A week later, I was on the same couch when Grischa called again to confirm I was going to the Tour. That was an incredible moment," he recalls fondly.

And so, Lemmen entered the Tour circus, where he performed admirably. "I really enjoyed three weeks of racing at the highest level, but I knew I had to stay focused every single day. I did pinch myself at times, realizing how special everything was. But in the end, I had to just ride my bike as hard as I could. The overwhelming support from people around me made me realize how extraordinary the situation was."

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Looking ahead: Lemmen aims for victories in 2025

With his first Tour under his belt, Lemmen was selected for the World Championships and came close to his first pro win at the Coppa Bernocchi in the fall. "That was definitely hard, but I was mostly proud to even be in a position to win a race. It’s tough that I came so close, but I only take positives from it. Who would have thought twelve months ago that things would unfold like this? Certainly not me."

Now, Lemmen is fully focused on the new season. "With 2025 about to begin, I’m eager to keep showing my best in big races. I’m raising the bar for myself as well. I now have a year of WorldTour experience under my belt, and I hope to compete for victories next year," Lemmen said with determination.

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