Despite three stage wins, Team Visma | Lease a Bike ends Vuelta a España with mixed feelings
In the final 25-kilometer time trial through the streets of Madrid, Edoardo Affini was the best-placed rider from the Dutch squad. The Italian set the fastest time early in the day but ultimately finished further down the rankings.
“A time trial after three tough weeks is always different,” Affini said. “To be honest, I’m not entirely satisfied with my time. I went full with everything I had left in my legs. The last few weeks have been full gas every day, and that definitely takes a toll.”
“It was a race with ups and downs,” summarized sports director Grischa Niermann, reflecting on the 2024 Vuelta. “With Wout, we won three stages, which is, of course, a fantastic result that any team would be more than happy with. We were on track to win the green and possibly even the KOM jersey. There were still several great opportunities for him in the final week, but unfortunately, his crash on Tuesday spoiled those plans.”
“It was a race with ups and downs”
Grischa Niermann
With defending champion Sepp Kuss, Team Visma | Lease a Bike also aimed for a strong GC result. “He didn’t quite have the level we had hoped for. Sepp was excellent on some stages but at other times wasn’t strong enough to follow the competition. Additionally, we lost Dylan van Baarle early on, and Cian Uijtdebroeks was also forced to withdraw from the Vuelta prematurely. Robert, Edoardo, Steven Kruijswijk, and Attila Valter rode a commendable race. As a team, we faced several setbacks, but we need to cherish the great moments we had with Wout.”
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Pre-orderExpected delivery: September 10Do you order items that are in stock together with a pre-order item? Then the items will only be shipped when the pre-order item is also in stockCasual T-shirt Robert Gesink – Team Visma | Lease a BikeA tribute to a legend from the Team Visma | Lease a Bike cycling team: Robert Gesink. Robert was employed by our cycling team from 2007 to 2024. During his pro career, Robert Gesink collected a magnificent palmares and made his contribution as a super domestique with several stage wins in the Tour and Vuelta. During the 2024 Vuelta, Robert waves goodbye to his amazing pro career. Order this casual T-shirt of a legend going ‘off-season’ forever now!
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For Gesink, it’s a Vuelta he’ll never forget. The 38-year-old Dutchman rode with great joy during his final Grand Tour. “I’ve had an incredible time during these last three weeks. My coach confronted me with my numbers and stats last week, and they were excellent, even close to my best years. We won three beautiful stages with Wout and wore the red jersey for a few days,” Gesink reflected.
“It’s been a wonderful career, one I wouldn’t trade for anything”
Robert Gesink
“I’ve genuinely enjoyed it,” Gesink continued. “Of course, I’ve known for a while that this would be my last year as a pro, so I’ve been able to savor every last time. The last training camp, the last Grand Tour. It feels like the perfect time to stop because, at times, I’ve had to push myself to the limit. Early in my career, I was driven by chasing results, but eventually, I transformed into a team player. That transformation makes me very proud. I’ve achieved some beautiful victories, secured some impressive results, and at the end of my career, I’ve helped the team win four Grand Tours. Now I’m going to enjoy my family, the free time, and cycling, continuing the healthy lifestyle I’ve adopted. It’s been a wonderful career, one I wouldn’t trade for anything.”Take a look at the history page of Robert!
La Vuelta Ciclista a España
Stage 21
Result
Rankings
Result
1
Stefan Küng
Groupama – FDJ
00:26:28
2
Primož Roglič
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe
+00:00:31
3
Mattia Cattaneo
Soudal Quick-Step
+00:00:42
12
Edoardo Affini
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:01:06
37
Robert Gesink
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:02:08
56
Steven Kruijswijk
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:02:45
58
Attila Valter
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:02:46
78
Sepp Kuss
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:03:07
Rankings
1
Primož Roglič
Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe
81:49:18
2
Ben O’Connor
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team
+00:02:36
3
Enric Mas
Movistar Team
+00:03:13
14
Sepp Kuss
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+00:20:25
19
Steven Kruijswijk
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+01:01:53
25
Attila Valter
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+01:22:31
52
Robert Gesink
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+02:34:22
119
Edoardo Affini
Team Visma | Lease a Bike
+04:36:53
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Subjects
Cycling – World Tour men
Edoardo Affini
Robert Gesink
Grischa Niermann
1
La Vuelta Ciclista a España
