The disappointing performances of both riders are quite striking. Just last week, Widar finished seventh after a strong ride in the U23 World Championships in Zürich. However, the young Belgian had previously mentioned after a disappointing Tour de l'Avenir that he felt he had
raced too much this season. That might have taken a toll on him today. Now, the young talent can enjoy a well-deserved vacation.
This season, he showcased his immense potential by winning three prestigious stage races: the Giro d'Italia Next Gen, the Alpes Isère Tour and the Giro della Valle d'Aosta. His success has
caught the attention of many WorldTour teams, even though Widar is under contract with his current team until 2027. Interested teams include Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek.
It is already confirmed that Nordhagen will ride for the main Visma | Lease a Bike team in the coming years. Like Widar, the Norwegian made a big impact this season, especially in Italy. He recently won an Italian stage race for U23 riders and also claimed victory in
two tough one-day races in the same country. Nordhagen also demonstrated his talent at the end of August in the professional ranks, finishing seventh in the Tour of Germany after demonstrating his willingness to attack, which also earned him the mountain jersey. However, his U23 World Championships didn’t go as well. Due to health issues, he had to
skip the time trial World Championships and was not fully recovered during the road race to play a major role.