There is something wrong within the Visma team. It has been evident for over a year now, and it doesn't look much better this year. I am benchmarking against 2023, but previous years, before 2023 has also been better.
When I listened to Johan on The Move I hadn't thought about his notion of how small details can take the joy out of simply riding your bike and what that fact does to an athletes mental state.
If everything is measured and (pseudo-)scientifically based then people collapse under the pressure of having any fun.
Any hot takes ?
I have plenty of hot takes regarding 'formerly' Jumbo. It's a fun topic.
I mean straight off the bat it's sport. High level, no mercy, take-no-prisoners top level sport. Visma were the team to beat and now they're getting beaten. A bit like years ago Quick-Step were the team to beat in classics and now they're 'beaten'.
People are throwing around reasons right now and there's some truth in all of them (loss of Zeeman, injuries, overly scientific approach etc. and whatever else) but honestly I could throw in 'natural passage of time' as well.
Their riders might just not be as strong as they used to be for whatever reasons, i.e. also because it's really freaking hard to maintain that top level for so long. I mean Benoot looks semi cooked compared to a few years ago. Kelderman the same. Their entire TdF 'monster dream team' from 2022/23 looks bang average now. Yates has shown nothing since he joined (no progression) and Kuss has just totally collapsed from his 2023 level.
I also think Jorgenson is being misused (he won a major one day race last year so he's in the classics team when he really should be doing Catalunya/Itzulia and winning stage races. Maybe even doing the Giro as well).
Just my opinion.