Jumbo-Visma surprised everyone by announcing the signing of Bart Lemmen, a 28-year-old Dutchman. He comes from Human Powered Health, where his one-year contract ended in an unconventional manner.
Lemmen has been in professional cycling for only one season but has already made a significant impression on the team. “We are very curious to see how he will develop when he gets to know our coaching program,” said the sports manager Merijn Zeeman in a press statement.
“Bart has only recently started cycling effectively. Before that, he had intensive military training and combined cycling with demanding work in defense. This has been a challenge for us. Despite minimal training and guidance, he has shown some interesting things in competitions, and his physical values indicate significant potential.”
Transition from the Air Force to professional cycling
Lemmen is excited about the opportunity. “I’m really looking forward to this new chapter. At the beginning of this year, it was a significant change to transition from an Air Force officer to a full-time professional cyclist. I’ve made great strides physically in recent months and in adapting to life as a top athlete.”
Lemmen can provide strong performances, particularly in time trials and mountain stages. He narrowly missed the podium in the Gran Camino Time Trial and the National Championship. He also performed well in the challenging Tour of Calabria and the Tour of Slovakia, where he finished fifth in both competitions. “The development process with the team will show where I can add more value. I’m looking forward to a wonderful journey of discovery.”