Heemskerk explains Visma exit: 'Too little room for creativity and passion'

In a personal message shared after the team’s official announcement, Heemskerk described the decision as a painful one, but also a necessary step.

“After eight wonderful years with our team, I have decided with pain in my yellow black heart to stop as trainer and coach,” Heemskerk wrote. “Over the past two to three months, creativity and passion have had too little room in my daily work. That is exactly why it is time to stop.”

Heemskerk has been a central figure in Visma’s rise to the top of the sport, working closely with Jonas Vingegaard since 2019 and overseeing the Dane’s Tour de France victories in 2022 and 2023, as well as his Vuelta a España triumph last season.

Looking back on his time with the team, Heemskerk pointed to both the highs and the lows as defining experiences.

“The past years were rich in highlights, with the crown jewels being the 2022 and 2023 seasons, and unfortunately also a few low points,” he wrote. “Those breakthroughs and challenges shaped us all. They allowed me to grow enormously as a coach and as a person, and I carry those lessons with me in deep gratitude.”

Rather than immediately seeking a new role, Heemskerk said he is choosing to create space for recovery and reflection.

“I choose to make room for a period of recharging,” he explained. “Sport, and cycling in particular, remain my passion and my life.”

Yesterday, Visma Head of Performance Mathieu Heijboer described Heemskerk’s departure as the best outcome for all parties, praising his influence on the team’s training philosophy and sporting success.

According to WielerFlits, Heijboer himself will replace Heemskerk as Vingegaard’s coach.