Doping case Hessmann closed: Visma | LaB German settles with WADA and knows possible date of return
Cycling
Michel Hessmann (still under contract with Visma | Lease a Bike) knows when he may resume racing. The German tested positive for a diuretic last year and received a four-month suspension from the German NADA, which WADA did not accept. Press agency dpa writes that Hessmann settled with the global authority and was allowed to race again on March 14, 2025. Meanwhile, his team has also made a statement.
Hessmann tested positive for a urine drug in June 2023, two weeks after he was part of Primoz Roglic's winning Giro team for Jumbo-Visma. The B sample also came up positive, although the German doping authority NADA followed Hessmann's "not knowingly" explanation: he was given the least possible four-month suspension.
WADA did not appeal, but now the case is finally closed. Hessmann settled with WADA and will be allowed to race again on March 14, 2025, bringing his total suspension to 21 months. His contract with Visma | Lease a Bike expires on December 31, 2024, and the team announced late Wednesday night with a press release that it will not be renewed. Thus, it has been long since Hessman's last race in yellow-black.
Read more below the photo.
Hessmann, 24 years old at end of suspension
Rainer Cherkeh, Hessmann's lawyer, commented that the positive test resulted from contamination in a widely available painkiller. The NADA also agreed in their report "as the most likely cause," but it still went to CAS, the highest institution in sports law.
Because of the settlement, Hessmann now has certainty, which is important for the further continuation of his career. The good Dutch-speaking German will be 24 years old when his suspension ends, so he can still compete in the pro peloton for quite some time, although it is unclear which team he will be on behalf of. So the German will have to look for a new team.
Read also
Il Lombardia 2024
The Pogacar effect: How Tadej has shaped the career of Matthews in a crucial way
Can Decathlon AG2R's big budget strike back against the 'Big Four' this spring?
Cycling transfers WorldTour 2025 | Uno-X unwraps Christmas gift from Jayco AlUla: Grøndahl Jansen makes the move
Van der Poel vs. Van Aert on the horizon, but Alpecin boss Roodhooft remains cautious: "Don’t expect too much"
Pogacar intimidates competition just before Christmas dinner with the most prestigious KOM in the training area
Latest Cycling News
The Pogacar effect: How Tadej has shaped the career of Matthews in a crucial way
Can Decathlon AG2R's big budget strike back against the 'Big Four' this spring?
Cycling transfers WorldTour 2025 | Uno-X unwraps Christmas gift from Jayco AlUla: Grøndahl Jansen makes the move
Van der Poel vs. Van Aert on the horizon, but Alpecin boss Roodhooft remains cautious: "Don’t expect too much"
Pogacar intimidates competition just before Christmas dinner with the most prestigious KOM in the training area
Popular Cycling News
New gear aims to make Vingegaard and Van Aert faster: "Perfectly suited to the riders' needs"
Cycling transfers WorldTour 2025 | Uno-X unwraps Christmas gift from Jayco AlUla: Grøndahl Jansen makes the move
Meanwhile in the peloton | Nippo returns to the peloton, Van Aert dedicates run to late "emperor" Rik Van Looy
🎥 Ferrand-Prévot (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Vollering (FDJ-SUEZ)'s team switch isn't as smooth as it seems
Pogacar intimidates competition just before Christmas dinner with the most prestigious KOM in the training area
Latest Comments
- I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024