The final weeks of the 2024 cycling season are also upon us for Visma | Lease a Bike. The Dutch team will bring a solid squad for the start of the Giro dell'Emilia on Saturday. Still, it will also send a delegation to the World Gravel Championship in Leuven, Belgium, this weekend.
In Italy, where they have to tackle the San Luca five times, Matteo Jorgenson is, on paper, the leader. The American did not have top legs at the World Championships in Zurich but still wants to add a good ending to his season. Jorgenson has a good team with Attila Valter, Wilco Kelderman, Bart Lemmen, and youngsters Menno Huising, Tijmen Graat, and Johannes Staune-Mittet, who left for Decathlon AG2R.
On Instagram, Jorgenson, who resides in Nice, was already joking. "Five times the San Luca, but at least Tiesj Benoot is too busy with gravel to get me ruined after just one kilometer," he winked. Indeed, Benoot is one of the riders who will be in action on behalf of the team at the World Gravel Championships in Leuven this weekend.
Following the withdrawal of the injured Wout van Aert, Benoot is the only male WorldTour rider from Visma | Lease a Bike who will be competing. However, American promise Colby Simmons is also in the race. On Saturday, four riders from the team
will compete in the women's race at the World Gravel Championship. Marianne Vos can add another title to her palmares, but Fem van Empel, Riejanne Markus, and Femke de Vries are also competing.
Vos looked back and ahead briefly
on social media after an eventful week with the World Championships in Zurich. 'I am competing in the World Gravel Championships on Saturday on a beautiful course with a special lap in the center of Leuven. Last week in Zurich, we had to deal with a mix of emotions, but at the same time, we had to realize how wonderful our moments are. In life and sport, you face challenges, but in this way, you are also inspired to become even stronger. Time to give it our all again," it sounded eagerly on the eve of the World Gravel Championships.
Read more below the photo!
Selection Visma | Lease a Bike Giro dell'Emilia 2024
Matteo Jorgenson
Johannes Staune-Mitttet
Attila Valter
Wilco Kelderman
Bart Lemmen
Menno Huising
Tijmen Graat
Selection Visma | Lease a Bike World Gravel Championship 2024
Tiesj Benoot
Colby Simmons
Femke de Vries
Marianne Vos
Fem van Empel
Riejanne Markus
The calendar for the new cyclo-cross season is now online! Check it out here. Or check out our general calendars for the remainder of the season for the men and women's races.