Team Visma | Lease a Bike arrives at the start of the 2026 season with momentum that is difficult to quantify purely through rankings. Seventh in the 2025 UCI Women’s WorldTour standings, the Dutch squad sit behind the sport’s established superpowers, yet their year was defined less by volume and more by the scale of individual results. Few teams outside the top three reshaped the competitive narrative as decisively, largely thanks to a mid-season resurgence that altered both perception and expectation.
That resurgence was driven by a familiar name returning to the very top of the sport. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot’s Tour de France Femmes victory, combined with her triumph at Paris-Roubaix Femmes, elevated Team Visma | Lease a Bike from an ambitious project into a genuine reference point for the biggest races. The challenge for 2026 is converting those peaks into broader consistency across the calendar.
Photo Credit: ASOA season defined by statement wins
The defining moments of 2025 came in July and August. Ferrand-Prévot’s overall victory at the Tour de France Femmes, built on back-to-back mountain stage wins, was one of the most significant results in the team’s history. It followed her victory at Paris-Roubaix Femmes earlier in the spring, where she mastered the cobbles in conditions that rewarded strength, resilience and tactical calm.
Those successes alone would have justified the season, but they were supported by a spread of results elsewhere. Marianne Vos continued to deliver on the biggest stages, winning the opening stage of the Tour de France Femmes and adding two WorldTour stage victories at the Vuelta a España Femenina. Martina Fidanza impressed in one-day races and short stage events, while Nienke Veenhoven claimed victories at the Tour de Gatineau and the Gouden Pijl.
The depth of the win list extended further. Marion Bunel took a stage at the Tour Féminin l’Ardèche and secured the French under-23 road title, Lieke Nooijen won the Chrono de Gatineau, and Viktória Chladonová swept both Slovak national titles. Even so, the distribution of those results highlights a key theme. Team Visma | Lease a Bike excelled at the very top end, but consistency across the entire season remained a work in progress.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletPauline Ferrand-Prévot as the competitive anchor
Heading into 2026, Ferrand-Prévot’s role is unambiguous. She is the team’s primary leader for the biggest one-day races and Grand Tours. Her ability to dominate across disciplines, from cobbles to high mountains, gives Team Visma | Lease a Bike a unique focal point that few squads can match.
The task now is support and sustainability. Her 2025 season showed that peak performance is still attainable, but relying on isolated brilliance is not enough to climb the rankings. Building a structure that allows Ferrand-Prévot to target multiple objectives without carrying the full burden of expectation will define the next phase of the project.
The enduring value of Marianne Vos
Even at 39, Marianne Vos remains one of the most decisive riders in the peloton. Her wins at the Tour de France Femmes and Vuelta a España Femenina underline her continued relevance across hilly, flat and transitional stages. Vos also provides something less visible but equally important. Her race intelligence and ability to manage chaotic finales elevate the performance of those around her.
For 2026, Vos’ role is likely to remain selective rather than expansive. She is no longer asked to anchor an entire season, but when deployed strategically, she continues to deliver at the highest level. In that sense, she remains a cornerstone rather than a supporting act.
Photo Credit: GettyDeveloping the next layer
Behind the headline names, Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s roster is increasingly youth-driven. Bunel, Chladonová, Imogen Wolff and Nienke Veenhoven all delivered tangible results in 2025, suggesting a group beginning to convert promise into performance. Bunel’s stage win and under-23 national title mark her as one of the team’s most significant long-term prospects, while Chladonová’s double national success reinforces her all-round potential.
Martina Fidanza’s 2025 campaign added another dimension. Victories at Festival Elsy Jacobs à Luxembourg and Trofee Maarten Wynants, combined with a stage win at the Baloise Ladies Tour, positioned her as a reliable finisher in reduced-group scenarios. Lieke Nooijen’s time trial victory at the Chrono de Gatineau similarly highlighted a growing area of strength.
The challenge for this cohort is progression. Talent is evident, but translating isolated wins into sustained WorldTour relevance is the next step.
Targeted recruitment and necessary change
Transfer activity ahead of 2026 reflects measured reinforcement rather than overhaul. Daniek Hengeveld and Sarah Van Dam arrive from Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team, adding depth and versatility. Van Dam’s consistency in one-day races and stage finishes brings reliability, while Hengeveld strengthens the Dutch core with a rider capable of contributing across varied terrain. Katharina Sadnik adds another development profile, reinforcing the team’s long-term orientation.
Departures are notable but manageable. Eva van Agt’s move to FDJ United-SUEZ removes a valuable support rider, while Linda Riedmann and Mijntje Geurts also exit. Carlijn Achtereekte’s retirement and Fem van Empel’s decision to step away from road racing further reshape the roster, particularly removing explosive talent that once offered alternative race scenarios.
Photo Credit: GettyBalancing ambition and reality
Seventh in the 2025 rankings reflects both promise and limitation. Team Visma | Lease a Bike proved capable of winning the biggest races in the sport, yet struggled to sustain pressure across the full calendar in the way the top three teams managed.
For 2026, the question is whether Ferrand-Prévot’s return to dominance can be leveraged into a broader points strategy, and whether the emerging generation can take enough responsibility to reduce reliance on a small number of riders. The ingredients are present, but execution remains the decisive variable.
Outlook for 2026
Team Visma | Lease a Bike enter 2026 with one of the most intriguing profiles in the Women’s WorldTour. They possess the reigning Tour de France Femmes winner, one of the greatest riders the sport has known, and a cohort of young riders beginning to establish themselves.
What they lack is consistency at scale. Closing the gap to the top five requires converting selective brilliance into regular influence. If the supporting cast can step forward and recruitment settles quickly, Team Visma | Lease a Bike have the potential to move beyond being a team defined by moments and towards becoming one defined by sustained presence.
2026 Team Visma | Lease a Bike Roster
- Marion Bunel
- Viktória Chladonová
- Femke de Vries
- Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
- Martina Fidanza
- Daniek Hengeveld
- Lieke Nooijen
- Maud Oudeman
- Rosita Reijnhout
- Katharina Sadnik
- Sarah Van Dam
- Nienke Veenhoven
- Margaux Vigie
- Marianne Vos
- Imogen Wolff
