Cofidis signs Teuns but sees "great talent" Zingle welcomed on a funny way at Visma | Lease a Bike

The transfer market is unleashed, and they now know it at Cofidis, Israel-Premier Tech, and Visma | Lease a Bike. The three are part of two deals that were officially finalized Thursday. In the process, Dylan Teuns moves from Israel to Cofidis, the latter losing Axel Zingle to Visma.

Teuns' transfer is somewhat of a surprise. The now 32-year-old Belgian is a seasoned WorldTour rider who ended up at Israel-Premier Tech via BMC and Bahrain Victorious. There, he won La Flèche Wallonne in 2022 and a stage in the Tour de Romandie, although he also struggled with physical discomfort. His record includes 14 victories, including Tour de France stages from 2019 and 2021. Teuns has now signed a two-year contract with Cofidis.

Through official channels, he is featured with his knowledge and experience as a leader for the Flemish and Ardennes classics in spring, although he also aims for new stage success in big stage races. "Cédric Vasseur (team manager Cofidis, ed.) was among the first managers to show interest. He contacted me very early in the season. His project sparked my interest, and I want to do everything I can to ride for the podium in the biggest races."

With Teuns' arrival, Vasseur announces a new start for our structure. 'With new ambitions in the classics. Dylan is one of the best riders in the world; his list of achievements speaks for itself. He can win on all terrains, and the classics will be one of his main goals in 2025. Our team missed a leader in the spring, but now we can ride for the win with him."

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Visma | Lease a Bike welcomed Zingle in a funny way

Zingle's transfer to Visma | Lease a Bike was already suspected. The 25-year-old Frenchman had been linked in the rumors to the Dutch cycling team for quite some time, and now it is official. Zingle has signed a contract for three seasons, which already shows how much confidence there is in his potential. "Axel is a great talent for the classics. Moreover, he has a good sprint that particularly shines at the end of tough races. This has earned him numerous podium finishes. We believe he still has room to grow, and we are delighted that he dares to take on this adventure with us," Grischa Niermann, from the sports management, said in a press release.

Zingle is 25 but only in his third season in the World Tour. He joined Cofidis as a trainee at a slightly older age and has already won five races for the French formation. "For me, it is truly a dream to join Team Visma | Lease a Bike. In my opinion, this is the best cycling team in the world. It has always been my goal to join such a strong team to become better myself. I am very motivated to join the team next season and hope to contribute in the classics. I expect to learn a lot from the best riders in the world and the rest of the team to become the best version of myself."

Visma | Lease a Bike got laughs at Zingle's announcement with a funny and original video referring to the incredible jump in the Tour de France, in which Zingle jumped over the fallen Mads Pedersen. Like a faithful Super Mario, Zingle jumps over various obstacles in the short video and ends up in the back of the Visma | Lease a Bike bus.