Dan McLay has confirmed he will part ways with Visma-Lease a Bike at the end of 2025, bringing his time with the Dutch WorldTour squad to a close after just one year. The 33-year-old joined the team last October to work primarily as lead-out man for Olav Kooij, a role he stepped into after the planned return of Mike Teunissen fell through.
Before signing with Visma, McLay was a fixture in Arnaud Démare’s sprint train at Arkéa, the team where he turned pro in 2015 when it was Bretagne-Séché Environnement. He also spent two seasons at EF Education First in 2018 and 2019 before returning to Arkéa in 2020.
Photo Credit: GettySpeaking to Cyclingnews during the Tour de Pologne, McLay said his short-term focus remains clear – supporting Kooij at the Polish stage race before heading to the Renewi Tour and the 2025 Tour of Britain – but his long-term future is uncertain. “I’m not signed up yet, so if anyone wants me for the next year or two, I’m still going,” he said. “I think Visma is off the cards, they want a big, pure bunch sprinter for next year, so that rules that out.”
McLay returned to racing in Poland after his first race break since the Copenhagen Sprint in late June. “I had a nice training camp in the summer, so I’m looking forward to getting back into it,” he said. “This time last year, I was recovering from the Tour de France, so overall my legs aren’t too bad. And the sun’s shining too.”
The opening stage in Pologne brought a victory for Kooij in the mass sprint, while stage 5 saw McLay’s fellow Briton Matthew Brennan claim an impressive win on a hilly Zakopane finish. McLay reflected positively on his work with Kooij, describing him as “not needing too much help” and saying their approach is to “keep it free” rather than rigid.
As for 2026, discussions with potential teams have been limited. “There’s been a little bit of talking, but not too much more than that,” McLay said. “So if anyone wants me, I’m available.”
