Rabobank's return to 'old love' Visma | Lease a Bike not an easy decision: "I even got emotional"

The deal was sealed on Thursday morning: Rabobank's second entry into cycling. The major bank will join Visma | Lease a Bike at least until 2028, which means the circle for team manager Richard Plugge is somewhat complete but not yet finished. IDLProCycling.com attended the presentation at the head office in Utrecht and spoke with the people involved afterward.

Stefaan Decraene, chairman of the board of directors of Rabobank, was the first to take the floor. While working for Paribas in France, the Belgian saw how much influence the cycling sponsorship had or still has. "Whenever I spoke to someone there, I always heard two things: AAA+ rating and cycling. That's how much influence it had."

That Rabobank is returning to cycling under Decraene's leadership is no coincidence. He is a passionate cyclist himself. "It is my biggest hobby. I have always played soccer and tennis, but an injury to my Achilles tendon led me to start cycling more. I also spend much time at my vacation home in Spain and often bump into the riders there. Well, they cycle past me," says the Belgian, who emphasizes that this is unrelated to the contracts he has set up.

When Rabobank said goodbye to cycling in 2012, Plugge embarked on a journey without a set course. "It feels a bit like we were sent to our room by our parents, and now we're allowed back downstairs," he says, using a nice metaphor. This is a tremendous boost for Dutch cycling. "There are currently no Dutch people in our Tour team, but having a Tour team full of Dutch people would be great."

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Rabobank joins Visma | Lease a Bike for an extended period

What does it mean for Plugge himself? "When I came here for the first time a year and a half ago and had my first conversations with Stefaan, I thought: I can relate to this. The circle is complete but not finished. It's fantastic, of course. We had to wait a bit, but now we're back in each other's arms. When we signed, I was even a little emotional. Or rather, it's definitely emotional because it's so beautiful."

Rabobank will join us as a jersey sponsor starting with the Tour de France - "we won't comment on the financial details, but it's for an extended period" - and at the presentation, they also showed the jersey that will be used. That will be later because the prominent presence of yellow means Visma | Lease a Bike must ride the Tour with a different shirt every year. With an orange touch, perhaps? "You'll see later," Plugge smiles. "In a month or two, we'll show it to the world."

Will the team become more Dutch, then? Yes and no. The term 'talent pool' has come up several times. Just as Belkin and Visma reaped the benefits of the structure that Rabobank set up, Visma may now need some time to benefit from the structure being set up. "The most important thing is that we focus on the Netherlands as a base, but we want to use our main force to remain the number one team in the world. Preferably with Dutch riders, but that could also be with a Dane or a Belgian. Rabobank has joined us indefinitely, and it would be great if we could find the new Gesinks or Kooijs together," said Plugge.

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The D-word (doping) is inevitable: "We have made agreements about this, but they are no different for Rabobank"

Needless to say, the D-word also came up, which was not the topic they wanted to discuss but was partly inevitable given what happened in 2012. "I have had productive discussions with Richard, and I was truly impressed by the steps they have taken in recent years," says Decraene. "Today, cycling is one of the most controlled sports in the world, and I think Visma | Lease a Bike is one of the most progressive teams in the sport."

Yet something can always happen to that team beyond all the controls and protocols. See the Michel Hessmann case. "We have a progressive policy in that area," Plugge responds. "We have made agreements about that, but they are no different for Rabobank than others. As a team, we look at it in such a way that we do everything correctly and progressively." 'I expected these questions,' Decreane sighed." We have included a clause in all contracts. It would not be good management if we did not. But again, I have every confidence. For Rabobank, cycling is in our DNA, like an old love. Now we are bringing it back."

Read also

Proud Plugge: "Visma | Lease a Bike and Rabobank continue to build the future of cycling together"

Plugge pulls a rabbit out of the hat: Rabobank returns as co-sponsor of Visma | Lease a Bike

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