'We believe in the plan' - Vingegaard leads Visma’s Tour de France team

Team Visma | Lease a Bike have confirmed their eight-rider lineup for the 112th edition of the Tour de France, with Jonas Vingegaard headlining a strong team for the race starting on July 5 in Lille.

Alongside Vingegaard, the lineup includes Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, Simon Yates, Tiesj Benoot, Victor Campenaerts and Edoardo Affini, who will make his Tour debut as a replacement for Christophe Laporte

"With these eight very strong riders, we believe in the plan we made for the Tour de France," stated Grischa Niermann, Head of Racing. Niermann emphasised the importance of teamwork from the outset to support Vingegaard's yellow jersey ambitions while also considering opportunities for stage wins for others within the team.

Vingegaard leads the team's ambition to recrown the Tour de France title, having been victorious in 2022 and 2023. Twelve months ago, Vingegaard was dethroned by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and after their recent encounter at the Critérium du Dauphiné, the Slovenian showed that he was in the driving seat. However, Vingegaard has illustrated in the past that he is the only rider able to get the better of Pogačar at the Tour de France and will have a full-strength team to support him at the Tour.

The recent Giro d'Italia and former Vuelta a España winner, Simon Yates, two-time Paris-Nice winner Matteo Jorgenson, and another former Vuelta a España winner, Sepp Kuss, could all lead a team in their own rights, but the trio are committed and set to provide key support in the mountains to Vingegaard in an attempt to topple Pogačar.

The Belgian duo of Tiesj Benoot and Victor Campenaerts will be crucial on the more chaotic stages to protect Vingegaard, and both have shown in the past that they can climb exceptionally well when required. For Campenaerts, this will be the first Grand Tour since re-joining Visma | Lease a Bike last winter. He won stage 18 last year. The European time trial champion, Edoardo Affini, is set to make his Tour debut and will be another key rider on the flatter terrain after a strong showing at the Giro d'Italia. 

Rounding out the team is the exceptional Wout van Aert, a nine-time Tour stage winner and points classification winner, who played a pivotal role in both of Vingegaard's previous Tour wins, as well as in Yates's recent Giro success.

"From day one we will have to be there as a team to optimally assist Jonas in the GC," said Niermann. "In addition, there will be opportunities for several riders to go for stage wins. We are very deliberately focused on ourselves and our own plan. We have an optimal preparation behind us and with that, we think we can get the best possible result."

• Edoardo Affini (ITA) (Tour debut)
• Tiesj Benoot (BEL)
• Victor Campenaerts (BEL)
• Matteo Jorgenson (USA)
• Sepp Kuss (USA)
• Wout van Aert (BEL)
• Jonas Vingegaard (DEN)
• Simon Yates (GBR)