Visma-Lease a Bike team manager Grischa Niermann is calling for better positioning and tougher weather conditions as the team heads into the next phase of their season, following a disappointing Opening Weekend that saw them miss out on victory.
The Dutch squad came close to securing a win at Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, with sprinter Olav Kooij finishing second behind race winner Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Fenix. However, Niermann acknowledged the team must improve to secure future successes.
“We’ve had a lot of success here in recent years,” Niermann said. “Olav finishing second is a great result for him and for us. But we came here to win, ideally two races, and unfortunately, that didn’t happen. We’re disappointed, but our most important races are still to come.”
The race concluded with a high-speed sprint finish after a breakaway held off the peloton for much of the day. Despite a strong attempt from Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) to close the gap to the leaders, the break was eventually caught with 10 kilometers remaining, setting up a flat and fast finale.
Van Aert noted that the presence of teams focused on sprinting made it difficult for the breakaway to succeed. “We tried, but it didn’t work out. These hard races are good for the legs, but the main objective for this weekend wasn’t necessarily about winning,” he said.
Roger Adrià of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, who had stayed close to Van Aert during the chase, also shared his thoughts. “I knew it was impossible to close the gap myself,” he explained. “I would’ve preferred if Wout had worked with me, but unfortunately, he had a sprinter on his team. That’s just the nature of racing.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Niermann emphasized the need for improvement, particularly in race positioning. “We need to be better positioned as a team in the crucial moments,” he said. “We were close, but not as dominant as in previous years. That has to improve.”
Looking ahead, Niermann suggested that better weather conditions might play a role in their success. “You also need some luck,” he added. “The weather was very easy this weekend, with clear skies and dry roads. Last year in Nieuwsblad, we had much more wind, which split up the race. This time, we saw bigger groups finishing together—maybe 80 or 90 riders. More challenging conditions could make a difference for us.”
When asked if he thought worse weather would help, Niermann smiled. “Yes, partly,” he said, acknowledging that tougher elements could provide an advantage.
As Visma-Lease a Bike looks forward to the upcoming races, Niermann is hopeful the team can capitalize on these lessons and the unpredictable nature of race conditions.
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