Clarity at last for Hessmann and Visma | Lease a Bike after positive test: "Lightest possible suspension"
Cycling
Follow IDL Pro Cycling on Google
Stay up to date with the best cycling news by making us a preferred source on Google.
Follow us on GoogleMichel Hessmann has been suspended for four months by the German anti-doping agency NADA. The 23-year-old German rider of Visma | Lease a Bike was informed on August 16, 2023, that a doping test on June 14 of that year had found a "diuretic drug" (also known as Chlortalidone). His team suspended Hessmann pending the results of the B-sample. When that also tested positive, they awaited the cycling union's decision, which took nearly a year to arrive.
ADVERTISEMENT
In a press release, Visma | Lease a Bike announced that the German anti-doping agency NADA had issued its ruling in the case. According to the team, because the amount of Chlortalidone was "minimal", a four-month suspension was imposed. Hessmann has already served three months of this retroactively.
"The NADA has now concluded that it is plausible that Hessmann took a contaminated medicine such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or naproxen. Earlier, external experts came to that conclusion and the German judiciary dismissed the case back in January," said Visma | Lease a Bike in their statement.
"However, the NADA also believes that the risk of contaminated medication lies with the athlete and therefore proposed the lightest possible suspension of 4 months to Hessmann, with a retroactive effect of three months. That was accepted by the rider today (Friday, June 21, ed.). As a result, he is suspended for at least another month."
Continue reading below the photo.
Michel Hessmann in the 2023 Giro d'Italia
Hessmann faces contract uncertainty
For Hessmann, this will be a relief, though he still faces a difficult situation ahead. The German climber's contract with Visma | Lease a Bike is expiring and he has only the remaining months of the season to secure a new deal, either with his current team or elsewhere. It remains to be seen whether Visma | Lease a Bike wants to continue with Hessmann, who was suspended for several months. "After the suspension, Michel Hessmann and the team will consider how to proceed."
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
IDL-productions
Onley, Dickson, Thornley and now Mason; Scotland is punching way above its cycling weight
Cyclocross legend Lars van der Haar had a tough time after retiring from cyclocross: 'It was over pretty quickly'
Celia Gery won the European cyclocross championship while awaiting surgery: 'It'll be a new beginning'
Dutch team coach De Knegt annoyed by European Cyclocross Championships dispute: "A bit of a let down"
Glasgow set to shine as World Cup demand outstrips expectations and Mason eyes first home cyclocross race
Latest Cycling News
Michael Vanthourenhout's severe crash overshadows thrilling men's cyclocross race in merksplas
Thibau Nys offers glimpse into unbelievable cyclocross comeback: 'That uncertainty, that struggle with self-confidence'
Complications surround Wout van Aert's World Cyclocross Championship start
Thibau Nys and Lucinda Brand's team lose title sponsor in the middle of the cyclocross season
Onley, Dickson, Thornley and now Mason; Scotland is punching way above its cycling weight
Popular Cycling News
Pidcock's turbocharged vacation leads to struggles on the bike: 'No wonder people think cycling is hard'
Mads Pedersen weighs in on Lucinda Brand and Marie Schreiber's European Cyclocross Championship clash
Thibau Nys and Lucinda Brand's team lose title sponsor in the middle of the cyclocross season
Extensive evidence of use of N-word, homophobia, and Asian-hate by track cyclist Matthew Richardson revealed
Complications surround Wout van Aert's World Cyclocross Championship start
Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026