Visma | Lease a Bike women under review: Big names are leaving, but Ferrand-Prévot and fresh talent are joining
Cycling
As the teams settle into their training camps in Spain to prepare for 2025, they’re likely also reflecting on 2024. What went well, and what could be improved? IDLProCycling.com is also looking back on the season, team by team. Up next, in this article: the Visma | Lease a Bike women’s team!
One-day races 2024: Visma | Lease a Bike women
Like their male counterparts, the Visma | Lease a Bike women’s team aimed for success in the Tour of Flanders and, especially, Paris-Roubaix — one of the few major races Marianne Vos has yet to win. The versatile Dutch leader finished fourth in both Monuments, falling short of the team's goals.
However, it would be unfair to call the spring campaign a failure. Vos claimed victories in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Amstel Gold Race, and Dwars door Vlaanderen. Meanwhile, young rider Rosita Reijnhout delivered a big surprise early in the year by winning the Deakin University Women’s Race in Australia.
The team also made an impact in other major races, such as the Flèche Wallonne (Fem van Empel, eighth), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (Vos, seventh), and Strade Bianche (Riejanne Markus, seventh).
Read more below the photo.
(Grand) tours 2024: Visma | Lease a Bike women
The Tour de France Femmes was the primary goal for Riejanne Markus this year, but the Dutch rider peaked too early in the season and ultimately couldn’t compete for a strong GC result. Marianne Vos salvaged the team's Tour campaign by bringing the green jersey back to the Netherlands, though she was unable to win a stage in the biggest cycling race in the world.
In the Vuelta, however, Vos found her winning form, taking two stage victories. Markus also excelled, finishing second overall. Spain proved fruitful for the team in general, as Vos also claimed the overall win at the Volta a Catalunya Femines, while young riders like Maud Oudeman and Rosita Reijnhout impressed in the Vuelta a Burgos. Additionally, Femke de Vries emerged as a pleasant surprise, delivering strong performances along the way.
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Final rating 2024 Visma | Lease a Bike women
While the Visma | Lease a Bike women’s team didn’t achieve all their biggest goals, they can still be proud of their results, especially considering their predominantly young roster. The (current and former) editorial team of IDLProCycling.com gives the team a final grade of 7.3.
Transfers 2024/2025: Visma | Lease a Bike women
The departure of Riejanne Markus and Anna Henderson to Lidl-Trek has cost the team significant horsepower. Both riders contributed strongly in time trials, classics, and stage races, and their absence will be felt in 2025.
On the other hand, the addition of Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is a massive gain. A rider capable of excelling in almost any discipline, Ferrand-Prévot joins the team with a view to winning the Tour de France Femmes — a goal the team has now openly set for the first time. With insights from her partner Dylan van Baarle, Ferrand-Prévot is expected to elevate the entire squad.
The team also strengthened its roster with the speedy Italian Marta Fidanza, as well as three top young talents: Marion Brunel, Viktoria Chladonova, and Imogen Wolff. Brunel won the Tour de l’Avenir Femmes, while Chladonova and Wolff both reached the podium in the junior time trial World Championships.
Read more below the photo.
Incoming: Pauline Férrrand-Prévot (INEOS Grenadiers), Marta Fidanza (Ceratizit-VNT), Marion Brunel (St Michel - Mavic - Auber93), Viktoria Chladonova and Imogen Wolff (juniors)
Outgoing (provisional list): Riejanne Markus and Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek)
Ones to watch 2025: Visma | Lease a Bike women
Visma | Lease a Bike is not a team that takes the easy route, and that will be evident in their goals for 2025. Marianne Vos will continue to lead the way in the spring classics, while Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is expected to chase down the Tour de France Femmes title.
Behind these ladies is a young team, with ten of the 18 riders under the age of 24. Promising talents like Fem van Empel, Lieke Nooijen, Rosita Reijnhout, and Maud Oudeman are poised to make further progress. Meanwhile, debutants Marion Brunel, Viktoria Chladonova, and Imogen Wolff may need time to adjust to the elite level in their first year on the team.
It’s an intriguing team overall, with Sophie von Berswordt (28) and Femke de Vries (30) entering just their second full seasons as pro riders. From the outside, there seems to be plenty of potential upside.
Read more below the photo.
(Preliminary) selection Visma | Lease a Bike women 2025
- Carlijn Achtereekte
- Marion Brunel
- Viktoria Chladonova
- Femke de Vries
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
- Marta Fidanza
- Mijntje Geurts
- Lieke Nooijen
- Maud Oudeman
- Rosita Reijnhout
- Linda Riedmann
- Eva van Agt
- Fem van Empel
- Nienke Veenhoven
- Margaux Vieux
- Sophie von Berswordt
- Marianne Vos
- Imogen Wolff
Il Lombardia 2024
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Latest Comments
- I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024