The last few days have not been easy for Visma-Lease a Bike: the news that Simon Yates has immediately ended his career has hit the Dutch team hard. The Briton seemed comfortable at Visma after a stellar season, in which he won the Giro d'Italia and secured a Tour stage. The management was shocked by Yates' announcement as, at 33, he would have had several more seasons ahead of him on the bike.

Richard Plugge, CEO of Visma-Lease a Bike, knows very well that burnout can also affect riders, but that with proper attention, the psychological aspect of athletes can be protected. Even if, despite efforts, not everything is possible.

There are important precedents. In 2022, Tom Dumoulin, then 31, left Visma and retired. Last month, it was announced that Fem Van Empel (23) would temporarily halt her career. "These are three different cases, but we pay a lot of attention to the mental aspect of high-level sports" - says Richard Plugge -. "We are one of the first teams to bring families to training camps, so riders can have their relatives with them. It seems to be working well, but in some cases, something different is necessary. With Tom, we evaluated what he wanted to feel better, like a high-altitude training camp in Colombia. In Simon's case, I simply think his motivation to continue has vanished. Did I try to change his mind? No. What can I say, continue on..."

Today, much more attention is paid to the mental difficulties of athletes. Take Marianne Vos, who at 38 is still full of energy. "It was a learning process for me, dealing with everything that comes with being a top-level athlete. As a young cyclist, all I wanted was to pedal, but suddenly you find yourself in the spotlight - explains the Dutch champion -. Everyone wants something and expects all kinds of things from you. It's not easy to face everything overnight. Fem Van Empel came to me a couple of times to ask my perspective on certain things. She must do what she thinks is best for herself: I don't know if she'll return. We'll have to wait and see."

Jonas Vingegaard, showing extraordinary calm under the Spanish sun where the team is in camp, admits that he too was on the verge of throwing in the towel indefinitely on several occasions. "Cycling is a demanding sport, and that applies to me too - says the 29-year-old Dane -. A lot revolves around this. You push yourself to the limit to always be ready to race. It's not like before, when you did some races just for preparation. Now when you start, you race to win, and this requires a lot from all perspectives. Sometimes, I was even close to... how do you say? Burnout."

At the 2025 Tour, Vingegaard's wife, Trine, in an interview had harshly stated that too much was being asked of riders. "She helps me understand what I need. Of course, the stakes have increased over the years and the team demands a lot, but we shouldn't blame only the team - continues Vingegaard -. We are there too, as riders. When it's too much, you have to say it yourself. It's something I initially found difficult, but I've started doing it more and more. Simon Yates has drawn a line for himself and ended his career. I'll miss him in my fight to win the Tour and in trying to beat Pogacar, but we can only respect Simon's decision."

Vingegaard has just announced his intention to do the Giro-Tour double this year, the feat Pogacar achieved in 2024. "Have I talked about it with Trine? - asked the Danish press at the media day - No, but she also thinks it's a good idea to do both races. Our choice for the Giro is actually also a mental matter. I've practically always done the same thing in the last five years. This new incentive gives me extra motivation."

Then there's Wout Van Aert, the super Belgian of Visma-Lease a Bike, who fractured his ankle in early January during the cyclocross in Mol won by Van der Poel. He hopes to be in shape in time for the spring classics, but in any case, for his mind, it's good not to focus only on the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, but also on Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo, the two classics he won in 2020 and will race again this year. "It's a terrible period for me due to my injury, but there are also many fantastic moments - says Van Aert, 31 years old -. Cycling is a tough sport, even if high-level sport always is. Some riders are struggling and do something else, others live their dream, just like I do. Every time I manage to get on the bike, I'm as happy as a child."