Matteo Jorgenson has taken another step forward and that results in 3 goals for 2025

If one man at Visma | Lease a Bike can be satisfied with his 2024 season, it is Matteo Jorgenson. The American, who transferred from Movistar, immediately made a good impression and will, therefore, start his second year with the Dutch team more confidently. There, he hopes to make another step forward.

"2024 was a year that changed everything for me in one go," the American reflects. "My move to this team paid off quickly. I had to adjust to a new structure and new faces, but everything went smoothly. I felt the trust right away."

One achievement stands out as far as he is concerned. "I never thought I'd be able to win a race like Paris-Nice. It changed a lot in my mind. It made me realize that I'm capable of more than I had previously believed. That win early in the year gave me a mental boost. It was like discovering a new version of myself."

The contrast couldn't have been more pronounced at the end of March, when Jorgenson won Dwars door Vlaanderen on the day Wout van Aert crashed so hard. He takes that into his overall assessment. "The team didn't have a bad year. 2023 was almost impossible to match, so you certainly can't call 2024 disappointing. In terms of number of wins, we were among the better WorldTour teams, which is good given the circumstances. Two of our best riders, who should win races for us, have been out for a long time," he refers to Jonas Vingegaard and Van Aert.

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What can we expect from Jorgenson in 2025?

This winter has gone well for the 25-year-old man from Walnut Creek. "I feel like I've taken another step forward. My altitude training camps last year worked really well. They turned out to be crucial moments in my season, so I'll stick with that. If I manage to win a WorldTour race this year, I think I'll be very satisfied. I feel stronger, wiser, and ready to perform again. I've worked hard recently, and I feel like I've taken another step. Now it's time to let my legs do the talking," it sounds very ambitious.

"I have many ambitions in terms of races; I want to fight for the win again in a week-long stage race, like Paris-Nice or the Critérium du Dauphiné. Last year I was already close in the Dauphiné, so that's a big motivation," he said. "But one of those two I would love to win, then. In addition, A one-day classic is high on my wish list for 2025. It's challenging because so many factors come into play in a classic. That's what makes it so interesting for me. I really want to improve on my eighth place in the Tour de France and show that I'm making progress in the Grand Tours. I see myself as an overall rider for the future. It's a dream to take real steps in that direction. Riding a Grand Tour is about more than just strength. It's also a mental game. I want to prove that I have the mental resilience to handle that."

Where someone like Van Aert dreams of Flanders and Roubaix, Jorgenson chooses another classic. "I also think the E3 Saxo Classic suits me well. I've already finished in the top five in the last two editions. It's a race I really want to win. In addition, I would like to get redemption in the Tour of Flanders so that I can at least leave with a good feeling."

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Jorgenson wants to compete with Pogacar

During the Tour, we will see him in a completely different way. "How I look at it, and where Jonas and Grischa also agree, is that we must attack Pogacar to a greater extent. Hopefully, as a tactical card, I can threaten Pogacar because that's a very good way to try to win the race. Jonas is stronger than me in the big tours, so obviously, there's no doubt about that."

"Above all, I want to get a high level and stay high in the GC, to be a serious contender that way. Last year, I had three less good days in the Tour, and now I would like to keep that number down to zero," said Jorgenson, who meanwhile also continues to work on the basics. "I have almost the same program as last year. I want to build on that. My altitude training camps last year worked well. I had a better winter now than last year, so I hope to improve my daily performance process even more with some improvement in details."

Finally, Jorgenson talks about the team's recruits. "Some new guys have joined. I am happy that Simon Yates is here; I have always admired him and his brother, Adam. So I'm also really looking forward to racing with him, although we have a different schedule. I think he made a good choice and can benefit from this team. I'm also looking forward to Axel Zingle's arrival. We live close to each other and he has real talent, so I think he will also benefit considerably from our staff," said the always outspoken rider.

Matteo Jorgenson's 2025 program

• Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
• Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
• Paris-Nice
• E3 Saxo Classic
• Dwars door Vlaanderen
• Tour of Flanders
• Critérium du Dauphiné
• Tour de France

Read also

How Jonas Vingegaard believes he can challenge Tadej Pogacar in 2025 precisely because of his heavy crash

Olav Kooij increasingly aims for the big races: "That seems a very nice step"

Classics, Giro, and Tour, with personal and shared ambitions: Wout van Aert knows 2025 will be busy year

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