Markus leaves Visma | Lease a Bike after Ferrand-Prévot arrives and joins Lidl-Trek

Another noteworthy transfer in women's cycling has taken place. Riejanne Markus is leaving Visma | Lease a Bike. The Dutch time trialist and GC contender has signed a three-year contract with Lidl-Trek, as the German-American team announced on Tuesday morning. Markus is part of a new wave of transfers, with her current team bringing in Pauline Ferrand-Prévot as their potential Tour winner. Markus, on the other hand, hopes to find success in stage races with her new team.

Luca Guercilena, the team manager at Lidl-Trek, is thrilled with the arrival of the 30-year-old Dutch rider. "Riejanne has proven to be a strong force in both one-day races and stage races, and we’ve seen her make significant progress over the past few seasons. She’s a rider whose ambitions align with the drive of our team, and we’re confident that she will continue to make great strides with Lidl-Trek."

Markus follows Van Anrooij: "Tour, Vuelta, time trials, and classics are my goals"

"Her skills on the bike—climbing and time trialing—will complement the rest of the team well, allowing us to pursue success in various situations. By bringing her into Lidl-Trek, we become more competitive throughout the season, from the classics to the grand tours."

Markus herself also shared her thoughts. "I have big goals for the coming seasons, particularly focusing on the overall classification in stage races and excelling in time trials. I want to compete in the hilly classics, the Vuelta, and the Tour de France. Moreover, the atmosphere among the riders and staff appears fantastic, and I can’t wait to be a part of it."

In this year's Tour, Markus had started with high ambitions on behalf of the yellow brigade. However, after a few stages, she realized that a strong GC finish wasn't in the cards. She eventually finished anonymously in 46th place. At Lidl-Trek, Markus will join fellow Dutch rider Shirin van Anrooij.