No Vingegaard, which means all opportunities for Uijtdebroeks, Kooij, and debuting Yates in Tirreno-Adriatico

"I’m definitely feeling good. I focused a lot on my back this past winter, and the issues I had are now resolved," he explained in a press release. "At this point in the season, I already have a relatively high number of race days in my legs, and so far, this approach feels great. Racing helps you learn things like positioning and leading a team much faster. These are aspects we’ve put a lot of focus on in recent months."

Alongside the 22-year-old Belgian, Visma | Lease a Bike has two other key cards to play. "We want to win a stage with Olav," Uijtdebroeks explained. "Simon and I have protected roles and can go for the general classification, which aligns perfectly with my personal goal. I want to achieve the best GC result possible and see how far I can go. Hopefully, I can continue the form I showed in the Tour of Oman." Sharing leadership with Yates is not an issue for Uijtdebroeks. "Simon is a great guy, and we get along really well. I think we have different personalities—he’s very relaxed in how he approaches his races. But I believe we can form a strong duo and push each other to be better."

Yates joined Visma | Lease a Bike over the winter after spending his entire professional career with Jayco-AlUla. Now, he will race in new colors for the first time. "We have a strong and exciting team at the start in Italy this week, and I’m looking forward to making my debut for the team," the Brit said. "My first months with Visma | Lease a Bike have been really good. A lot of things are different, but that’s expected after being with one team for so long. That’s exactly what I wanted—a new environment where I can continue to grow. Now, I’m eager to finally start racing."

Tirreno-Adriatico will mainly serve as a preparation race for the Giro d’Italia, where Yates will lead the Dutch squad. Olav Kooij will also race in Albania, targeting stage wins—just as he aims to do this week. "Tirreno is a great first race to see where we stand," Yates explained. "Of course, my real peak needs to come in May, but I’ll definitely try to make an impact here." In Lido di Camaiore, the trio will be supported by Steven Kruijswijk, Dylan van Baarle, Attila Valter, and Dan McLay.