Cycling111
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Nordhagen clipped the back wheel of Uijtdebroeks on the final climb and crashed. I didn't see Uijtdebroeks crash though, he just went backwards.Nordhagen and Cian crashed in France.
The number of crashes Visma riders suffer is incredible.
Between illnesses and crashes, Nordhagen isn't getting off to a good start to the season.
Last year, he missed many days of competition due to illness.
Even though this post is already slightly dated because they weren't all that bad in the races since, I'd say that they were performing way above their pay grade for two or three years and now they are not. Also a massive brain drain won't have helped them. Strangely, it doesn't seem to have helped Red Bull to "buy" these brains either, because they're performing even worse so far. Visma's nutrionist went to Ajax though, and they're about to become champions of the Netherlands, so there's that.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.
Strangely, it doesn't seem to have helped Red Bull to "buy" these brains either, because they're performing even worse so far.
But they also clearly invested in, and had big ambitions for, the classics season... so far with little to no results. Stage races are another story, but the same goes for Visma of course.In 2024 season they won a GT and were runner up at another one, among some other prominent results. This season stage racing is only really starting so we will see if they can do even better in 2025 season. Fingers crossed!
But they also clearly invested in, and had big ambitions for, the classics season... so far with little to no results. Stage races are another story, but the same goes for Visma of course.
Who is injured?They can't even form a team with development team riders?
View: https://x.com/vismaleaseabike/status/1928723602465021996
Laporte, I don't know who else.Who is injured?
Laporte, I don't know who else.
It's very strange. It sounds like an excuse to me. Teams smaller than Visma have gone to races with 4-5 riders of development team. Not even teams that don't have DT miss a race entirely.
Laporte's been out since january! That can't be the reason - nor would he attend Slovenia if he was fit.Laporte, I don't know who else.
It's very strange. It sounds like an excuse to me. Teams smaller than Visma have gone to races with 4-5 riders of development team. Not even teams that don't have DT miss a race entirely.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know that.It's a .Pro race so they would only be allowed to bring two riders from the development team.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know that.
But they have so many injuries? Laporte, Zingle and who else?
But still... They are the 5th biggest team when it comes to the budget. And they are 5th because you now got Red Bull, Lidl and Decathlon that joined as sponsors. Otherwise they would still be number twoTheir budget has substantially shrunk after Jumbo left, and several essential key employees, including high-end valuable nutritionists, have left for competitors too.
What credible sources do we have on budget? Vlab employs so many more people than most WT teams do. Their support staff is enormous yet people focus only on rider salary as if that is the only relevant metric.But still... They are the 5th biggest team when it comes to the budget. And they are 5th because you now got Red Bull, Lidl and Decathlon that joined as sponsors. Otherwise they would still be number two
Themselves, UCI discloses the budgets of each team to each other. Although it is said that these budgets aren’t 100% correct.What credible sources do we have on budget? Vlab employs so many more people than most WT teams do. Their support staff is enormous yet people focus only on rider salary as if that is the only relevant metric.
Adam improved the climb record by a minute and a half
.I never understood this idea that Visma isn't in shape.
The thing is, Visma doesn't care about Abruzzo and other races that UAE wins.
But in the end, Visma has won GTs with four different riders since 2023, while UAE has only won with one
That's more significant than winning 80 races, half of them with one rider and the other half in Abruzzo, Asturias, or Coppa Bernochi.