Visma reunite the Van Kerckhoves brothers and plan for a bright future: 'Great strides in the long term'

Van Kerckhove is considered one of the most successful junior riders of the past year. He won the Giro della Lungiana, finished third in the Ain Bugey Valromey Tour, and won the Belgian Junior Time Trial Championship for the second year in a row.

The World Championships, where he was the top favourite in the time trial, were cut short due to a crash, but that in no way detracts from the tremendous progress he has made.

After his time with Decathlon CMA CGM, he is now joining his brother Matisse and signing a four-year contract with Visma | Lease a Bike.

He will, of course, start out riding for the U23 team. “It feels like a tremendous honour to be part of one of the biggest teams in cycling,” he says on the Dutch team’s website.

Decathlon CMA CGM wasn't a bad place, but Van Kerckhove didn't hesitate:

And so the young man is really looking forward to the coming years.

“The team’s athletic vision and the way everything is structured really appeal to me. I see myself in the team’s philosophy and believe I’m a good fit. I’m therefore really looking forward to working toward my races with the professional guidance the team provides and continuing to develop myself as a rider in the long term.”

Robbert de Groot, head of development at Visma | Lease a Bike, is very pleased with the arrival of this young Belgian talent. “He has already shown that he is highly motivated to continue developing his skills.

We believe he has the right mindset and qualities to take the next steps. At this stage of his career, it’s important that he be able to learn and gain experience in the right environment.”

Visma | Lease a Bike is already looking forward to the future. “We’re convinced that Seff can make great strides in the long term. He still has a lot of growth potential, and we look forward to helping him realize it fully.

By giving him the time, guidance, and opportunities he needs, we want to ensure that he can continue to develop at his own pace.”