Visma | Lease a Bike classics squad training ion Spanish islands, Jorgenson: "Last time using this app for 21 days"

While racing is already underway across Europe and the Middle East as teams prepare for the Classics, some riders are still holding training camps to ensure they hit peak form between Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. At Visma | Lease a Bike, this preparation is currently taking place on Mallorca and at altitude in Tenerife.

Wout van Aert raced the Cyclocross World Championships in Liévin last Sunday, but as planned, he immediately shifted his focus to the big spring objectives. On Monday, he rode 168 kilometers of gravel with training partner Daan Soete. On Tuesday, he did one last ride around his home in Herentals.

On Wednesday, he flew to Mallorca for a self-organized training camp with teammates Wilco Kelderman, Tiesj Benoot, and Julien Vermote. “The day started at six in the morning at Charleroi airport, but life got better after that,” read Van Aert’s latest Strava gem following their first training session on the Balearic island.

Van Aert will start his road season at the Clásica Jaén on February 17, followed by the Volta ao Algarve as part of his preparation for the Opening Weekend. After that, as expected, he will head to altitude training before returning for a packed spring schedule, featuring: Dwars door Vlaanderen, E3 Saxo Classic and the two big goals: Tour of Flanders & Paris-Roubaix.

Read more below the Strava post!

Jorgenson shuts himself off from the (online) outside world on Tenerife

Another group from Visma | Lease a Bike is already training at altitude. Matteo Jorgenson is currently on Mount Teide alongside Edoardo Affini, Attila Valter, and Axel Zingle. Last year’s Paris-Nice winner shared on Strava how happy he was to be back training on the volcano, and he took it a step further on Instagram. "This volcano inspires me, whether you want to be here or not," he wrote in his Instagram stories.

"Three weeks here lie ahead. Three weeks here, and nowhere else. So, this is also the last time I'll be on this app for the next 21 days. If you need to reach me, send me a message," said Jorgenson, who won both Paris-Nice and Dwars door Vlaanderen last year. He is following the same training structure as last season—starting with the Opening Weekend, then building up through Paris-Nice before heading into the Classics.

During Visma | Lease a Bike’s media day, the American shared that he feels even better than he did last year. "I’ve taken another step forward. I’m still waiting for the year when I don’t improve—because that year will come eventually. But right now, I feel stronger every time I get back on the bike. My numbers are better, and I’ve already had a few strong five-minute test efforts. Plus, I’m getting older and wiser. Where does it stop? I don’t know, but hopefully, I’ll reach my full potential one day. The fact that I’m still improving is an amazing feeling," he said.

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