September 1 sees Visma coach Grischa Niermann jump ship to join Lidl-Trek: 'Grateful for everything'

It’s September 1, which means that Visma | Lease a Bike will have to manage without Grischa Niermann for the first time in a long while. The German rider’s departure had been known for some time, but he stayed with the Dutch team for a few more months. In the coming months, he will wrap up his duties at Lidl-Trek.

In early June, rumors began to swirl at Visma | Lease a Bike. There were reports that Niermann, a longtime member of the team, would be leaving. Shortly after the news leaked, the team announced that the German would indeed be leaving. As a result, his responsibilities leading up to the Tour de France were taken over by Marc Reef, who would also succeed him as Head of Racing.

Niermann’s departure was a heavy blow. He had been with the team since 1998. He started out as a rider, completing fifteen seasons and competing in eighteen Grand Tours, including nine appearances in the Tour de France. After stints with Rabobank’s women’s team and later the development team, he joined the men’s WorldTour team as a team director, but his responsibilities were soon expanded.

After Merijn Zeeman’s departure, Niermann became Head of Racing. With nearly thirty years of experience with the Dutch team, his departure came as a surprise. He was ready for a new challenge, he said. “The move to Lidl-Trek is a special opportunity for me personally, because it allows me to contribute to one of the most ambitious projects in professional cycling, one that is closely connected to my home country.”

The German will be joining one of the country’s two top teams. There, he will serve as Chief Sports Officer, a role he will officially assume on September 1. Visma | Lease a Bike bid farewell to Niermann via a statement on X. His last race with the team was the Bretagne Classic. Louis Barré was the Killer Bees’ top finisher in France, coming in 33rd.

"Last weekend marked Grischa’s final race as Head of Racing. We are incredibly grateful for everything he has done and for all the wonderful moments we’ve shared together over the past few years. We wish you all the best in the next chapter of your career." At Lidl-Trek, he’ll be working alongside riders like Sam Oomen and Bauke Mollema, whom he got to know as a rider or protégé at Rabobank and its successor teams.