In any case, he finds the case of Simon Yates quite worrying. “He’s still at training camp in December, and in January, he decides: figure it out, I’m quitting. You don’t do that when you’re having a blast. If you’re cycling with complete joy and you’re having a great time in the team, you don’t do that. Apparently, there’s something they have triggered in him.”
Maybe there’s truth to the most common explanation that Yates simply ticked off the last big box in his career and lost motivation, but it’s not something that happens every day: “Maybe that played a part for him. In the sense of: I’m quitting, because if you like it, but not enough to live that monk’s life every day…”
No need to go far for examples of when being a professional cyclist is not much fun.
The former world time trial champion doesn’t want to draw conclusions too soon. “I can’t really explain it from the outside. I also don’t know if one thing is connected to the other. Tim Heemskerk’s departure could have a completely different cause than Simon Yates’s retirement. I don’t think we should judge that too much. It is striking, though.”
Simon Yates completed a chapter in his career and life at the 2025 Giro d’Italia
Is Visma at a crossroads?
“Well, no, because I still think Visma | Lease a Bike is leading in many areas within cycling. The way they approach their sport, their performance, their approach to coaching – it’s really excellent and unparalleled in modern cycling,” he continues, praising the team.
Yet, the Dutchman sees the focus on enjoyment perhaps fading a bit. “Of course it’s about winning and performing, but if someone doesn’t enjoy it and doesn’t get the best out of themselves, you can write nutrition plans until you weigh ounces, but then you’re not going to get the most out of a rider.”
When Zonneveld asks if that’s a problem for Visma | Lease a Bike alone, or for cycling as a whole, Dumoulin is adamant: “I think it’s for all of cycling, but Visma is the first, because they’re also leading the way with that data-driven approach. That doesn’t suit some personality types as well,” concludes the former Giro winner.