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Follow us on GoogleVisma | Lease a Bike looked to have Le Samyn under control for long stretches on Tuesday, until the Dutch team suddenly found itself empty-handed. Per Strand Hagenes came close to a superb solo win, while a puncture for Wout van Aert took away the team’s back-up sprint option in the finale. After the race, sports director Grischa Niermann reflected with IDLProCycling.com on what went right — and what went wrong.
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Le Samyn marked Van Aert’s return to racing, but it also became the day of Hagenes’ long-range move. “We wanted to try to make the race hard and Per did it brilliantly,” Niermann said. “It was a great solo, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough. There were still too many teams with strong riders to chase behind. That he gets caught with 500 metres to go is really a shame.”
To make matters worse, Visma also lost plan B when Van Aert punctured — he said later it was caused by glass on the road. “Wout punctured and at that moment we were behind a second group, I think at a minute and a half,” Niermann explained. “He first took a bike from team-mate Pietro and then another from us, but unfortunately it was too late to get back on.”
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The moment a punctured Wout van Aert lost the race at Le Samyn.
Van Aert takes responsibility in youthful Visma line-up
With Christophe Laporte forced to miss the start as the intended leader, all eyes turned to Van Aert. But the Belgian started cautiously, especially with a very young Visma squad around him: Matisse Van Kerckhove (19), Loe van Belle (24), Hagenes (22), Pietro Mattio (21) and Aldo Taillieu (20).
Still, Visma grabbed the race by the throat. “We didn’t want to sprint here against Dylan Groenewegen, Gerben Thijssen and Jordi Meeus — although that certainly would have been plan B with Wout,” said Niermann. “It was very good for him to be back racing again, and Wout also took the lead with our young guys.”
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Niermann: “If he has to puncture deep in the finale, let it be today”
Van Aert as a road captain and mentor is a role Niermann believes suits him perfectly — even if it is not something he has to do every week. At Le Samyn, though, the Belgian kept the youngsters in line and Visma rode aggressively throughout. “He did that well, but we know nothing else from him,” Niermann said. “We rode a good race.”
And while the puncture meant Van Aert finished without a result, Niermann did not treat it like a disaster — especially with Strade Bianche coming up this Saturday. “If he has to puncture deep in the finale, then preferably today,” he said. “It’s always annoying and a shame he can’t contest the sprint, but better now than on Saturday in Strade Bianche.”
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'.
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