No top result for Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Kooij in Münsterland Giro

# Team Visma | Lease a Bike Falls Short at Münsterland Giro

The 19th edition of the Münsterland Giro showcased a thrilling showdown for the sprinters, but Team Visma | Lease a Bike was left wanting as they failed to secure a top result. With a host of elite sprinters gathered in Stromberg, the sprint teams kept a tight hold on the early breakaway, which was reeled in with just 45 kilometers to go—thanks in part to the efforts of Mikal Grimstad Uglehus and Jed Smithson, riders from the Development Team making their mark in Germany.

As the peloton closed in on Münster, aggressive attacks began to unfold, setting the stage for an inevitable bunch sprint. Despite an unfortunate crash near the finish, the action continued, but team leader Olav Kooij found himself without his lead-out as he crossed the line in sixteenth place, noticeably behind the victor, Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin – Deceuninck.

“This is obviously not what we came for here,” admitted sports director Maarten Wynants. He expressed his disappointment, acknowledging the challenges of positioning in such a high-stakes finale. “With so many sprinters, it was a fight for position. In the finale, we lost each other at the front. When you’re not well positioned at such high speeds, you know it’s over.”

Despite the lack of a strong finish, Wynants praised his team for their overall performance. “Mikal played an important role for us today. Together with the other sprint teams, we kept things under control. Niklas was also extremely strong going into the local lap. At that point, we were perfectly placed, just as we had planned. Unfortunately, that good work does not reflect in the result today. Luckily, new opportunities are coming up soon for Olav,” Wynants concluded.

### Sparkassen Münsterland Giro Results

1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin – Deceuninck) – 04:10:53
2. Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) – +00:00:00
3. Pavel Bittner (Team Picnic PostNL) – +00:00:00
16. Olav Kooij (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:00
37. Christophe Laporte (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:00
43. Niklas Behrens (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:18
59. Jed Smithson (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:52
75. Julien Vermote (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:00:55
149. Mikal Grimstad Uglehus (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – +00:04:20

As the team reflects on their performance, they look ahead to upcoming opportunities to redeem themselves in future races.