Visma | Lease a Bike saves 30 grams with new partnership and sees ‘15–20 watt improvement’ possible with new riders

The Dutch WorldTour squad welcomed nine new riders on 1 January, and all of them have been adapting to the team’s new gear. For riders coming up from the development ranks (like Tim Rex and Pietro Mattio), the transition is less dramatic than for recruits from other WorldTour teams — such as Louis Barré, Owain Doull, Bruno Armirail and Timo Kielich. For those coming from lower-level teams (Filippo Fiorelli, Davide Piganzoli and Anton Schiffer), the difference can feel like night and day.

Piganzoli, for example, compared the bikes at his new team to “airplanes,” with a bit of exaggeration, of course. “All the equipment is top quality. I’m convinced I can develop further here as a rider and as a person,” he said, echoing comments from the Tour Down Under debutant Fiorelli.

So how does the team integrate these new riders? “Their bikes are basically re-built to match our Cervélo S5, and then we do a bike fit to help them get used to it,” Drost said. “That allows us to see how someone sits on the bike, but ultimately it’s all about the power they produce.”

“Without knocking other equipment,” he added, “it makes sense that someone coming from a smaller team with a smaller budget feels a difference.” Drost believes that most riders at his team will say, “Wow, this is a fast bike. I haven’t heard anyone say: ‘This isn’t quicker than what I had.’”

Drost also suggested that switching to the Cervélo S5 could yield significant aerodynamic benefits compared to “a mediocre brand.” “In my view it’s the best bike on the market. And as a rider you can make a big step with that aerodynamic bike and the current peloton speeds,” he said — estimating a 15-20 watt improvement because of the bike alone.

Asked about what other innovations Visma | Lease a Bike has introduced or is planning for 2026, Drost wasn’t able to go into too many specifics — but he did announce one new collaboration.

“We revealed the S5 last year for the Tour de France and all the riders will use it this season. That was already a huge improvement in terms of comfort and position,” he explained. “We’re not talking about 20 watts gains anymore, but if we can get *4 watts from a new wheelset we’re happy.”

On partnerships, though, CamelBak is the biggest change: the American company now supplies the team’s bottles and bottle cages. Because of their setup, Visma | Lease a Bike has been able to save about 30 grams — and that’s a noticeable difference at this level of competition. The Dutch squad is also the first WorldTour team to be supported by the California-based hydration specialist.