No podium for the first time since 2018: Visma | Lease a Bike looks back on a disappointing Tour de France

The 2026 Tour de France has come to an end for Visma | Lease a Bike. The Dutch team got off to a flying start in Barcelona, but after Jonas Vingegaard dropped out, the team had to carry on, leaderless and a bit lost. Head coach Marc Reef took stock after the team failed to make it onto the podium of the Tour de France for the first time since 2018.

In 2019, Steven Kruijswijk took the podium, followed by Primoz Roglic in 2020. From 2021 through 2025, Vingegaard stood on the final podium, so logically, he was also the team’s ace in 2026. After the Dane crashed on the stage to Plateau de Solaison, the team suddenly had to change course.

"Yes, I think we handled that very well," Reef told us right after Saturday's stage, which finished at Alpe d'Huez. “Every day, we had three riders in the breakaway. We also launched a strong attack with a few riders on Stage 17 to go for the stage win. Unfortunately, we had too many support riders with us on that one.”

"Matteo was also in contention for the win the next day. Sepp came very close on Friday, and Saturday was really our day... Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be,” he concluded after the second stage, which finished at Alpe d’Huez. “But I think we can be proud of how the guys stepped up after Jonas dropped out.”

"I think we really rode the perfect race on Saturday," he continues. "Four of us were in the breakaway. Matteo and Bruno did a great job up to the Télégraphe to extend the lead a bit. Then it was Davide’s turn, and after that, it was Sepp’s. Unfortunately, fatigue caused him to crash, but the most important thing is that he’s okay.”

After the final stage in Paris, Matteo Jorgenson spoke on the team’s website. “Unfortunately, we were missing a victory in the final week, but I look back on our opening in Barcelona with great satisfaction”

“As a team, we showed resilience and tried to get the absolute maximum out of the past few days. The Tour de France is always tough, but for me this was by far the hardest edition I have ever ridden. Completely different from previous years. Today was difficult again as well. I’m really proud of the team,” he said ahead of the farewell party in the French capital.