Van Aert surprised by Niermann’s departure: “I’m not worried it will all collapse like a house of cards”

The sudden departure of Grischa Niermann from Visma | Lease a Bike has raised plenty of eyebrows. The German has been part of what was then Rabobank since his professional debut as a rider, so the move to Lidl-Trek 28 years later stings even more. Wout van Aert will also miss the sports director, but he cannot identify with the rumours around it.

Niermann took over the role of sports director from Merijn Zeeman, who opted for an adventure at football club AZ in 2024. That made him an even more important figure in the structure of Visma | Lease a Bike than he had already been. But it was now time for a new challenge, and Lidl-Trek gave him that, in his home country. There, he will become Chief Sports Officer from September this year.

Van Aert knew Niermann very well and finds it hard to see him leave. “When I heard the news, I was of course surprised,” he tells Het Nieuwsblad. “When I joined the team in 2019, Grischa was already part of it. Grischa and I had a very good relationship, we worked together for a very long time, and I would have liked to keep working with him. Of course, it is sad news to receive.”

Until the end of August, Niermann will remain tied to Visma | Lease a Bike, but he will no longer be taken to the Tour de France, for example. Team leader Marc Reef will take over his duties after his departure. “Which will of course have its impact,” said the team’s Belgian leader. “Everyone works differently. Marc will fill that role in his own way.”

Team boss Richard Plugge also regretted the departure of his German confidant, but pointed to the culture within the team, on which further success can be built. “Richard is right about that. The past proves it too. As a team, we have built an organisation in which we try to develop people. I really am not worried that it will all collapse here like a house of cards.”

Analysts, including Thijs Zonneveld, saw an unfortunate pattern at Visma | Lease a Bike. Zeeman had already left for AZ, and coach Tim Heemskerk also said goodbye to the team. He recently signed for rivals Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. But Van Aert sees nothing in that line of reasoning. “You have to look at every story in its context. It is different every time. I am really not worried about the future.”