Visma | Lease a Bike women under review: Big names are leaving, but Ferrand-Prévot and fresh talent are joining
CyclingSaturday, 14 December 2024 at 11:39
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.
Read more below the photo.
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
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Latest Comments
- Such negative comments that are truly inappropriate and actually ridiculous. He sounds like an old man, bitter that he can't race anymore. Why can't he just be gracious? Or just shut up. Instead of howling for attention, in such a rude manner. Must be Dementia creeping in. We are all living in the Now. Records are there, and some are being broken, some are unapproachable. If he doesn't like it, and it makes him sick, maybe he ought start watching some other sport. Don't want the old mans health to be upset.
reemmo031-03-2025 - Roger De Vlaeminck inspires me to create a new beer: "Bitter Old Twat Belgian".JackInhof31-03-2025
- Shoot, I'll ride it for 1/10 of what his pay for that day is😅Veganpotter30-03-2025
- What is this? The Lance Armstrong daily cheaters channel? I could care less about Johan and Lance the seven times cheater. Greg Lemond was right all along, Why don't you write about that instead of these two knuckleheads.velodrone28-03-2025
- Are we all doomed to hear from Lance Armstrong and Johan bruneel until the end of time? It's not enough the stain they left on cycling? Do we have to see that shadow forever?bigyakman26-03-2025
- I am not sure if it is the hardest to win. In Flanders and Roubaix well before the finish the Peleton will be decimated and the race will normally be won by the best rider of the day or maybe 2nd or 3rd in case of a mechanical or unlucky break especially in case of Roubaix. In San Remo just before the finish there will still be several riders in contention and they are hard to ditch. For the best riders it is a race hard to win since it is not so selective. But if you are not a top 5 rider but still a top 10 rider this race is your best change to win. You will see more Milan San remo Winners with only 1 monument win than any other monumentsJoostmehrtens19-03-2025
- "fap fap fap oh Lance oh oh OHHHHHHH" again. Does he pay you to dredge up people with nice things to say about him? He was an giant a$$hole to people. It is a fact. Whatever his contrition about the doping, he is unapologetic about being a giant a$$hole to people. (Why yes, I do only login to complain. *I* am however only a giant a$$hole to people who laud giant a$$holes.)ericjensenridesbikes25-02-2025
- Remco is still very young. And injuries can absolutely keep you from overdoing it and getting worse. The recent Remco accident didn't keep him from being able to ride a recumbent inside. Wout's knee is a different story thoughVeganpotter23-01-2025
- Van der Poel style is winning by a half a lap and leading the race from the end of the second lap.
Barnes127420-01-2025 - If she thinks talent alone will put her there she will not see many podium finishes much less a GC finish.....work as a team utilizing tactics to consistently be at the top.Germanrazor10-01-2025