Visma - Lease a Bike has claimed victory in the team time trial at the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, imposing itself with a performance of the highest level that confirmed the collective strength of the WorldTour formation. On the 28.4-kilometer course, characterized by two climbs and a demanding final kilometer uphill, Visma-Lease a Bike finished ahead of Netcompany INEOS by nine seconds, securing the stage win and reviving their ambitions in the general classification. EFEducatio EasyPost took third place at 29".

Thanks to the victory at the Perreux finish line, Matteo Jorgenson moved up to fourth place in the general classification, led by Alex Baudin, while young Jørgen Nordhagen also managed to break into the top ten. The Dutch team had started as the third-to-last team and had posted the second-best time at both intermediate checkpoints. But it was the final section that made the difference: perfect management of efforts and a final climb tackled with great unity allowed Jorgenson to stop the clock at 32'52", enough to secure victory.

At the end of the race, the American did not hide his satisfaction with a result achieved through the work of the entire group. «This feeling is seven times better than winning alone - Jorgenson said - It's fantastic to be able to share this emotion with all my teammates. Winning a team time trial is incredible. It's a unique discipline in cycling, so this victory means a lot. Personally, it's also a huge boost. After the difficulties I faced last spring, it's fantastic to be back on the top step of the podium».

Jorgenson then highlighted the decisive contribution of each teammate in the final part of the race. «I'm proud of how we tackled the last kilometers. Bruno, Edoardo and Per gave their all on the flat sections and descents that preceded the final climb. Then Jørgen did excellent work in the sprint. Ben was unfortunately unlucky, but as a team we managed the situation well. We have many staff members dedicated to this discipline, so it's important for everyone that we managed to turn all this hard work into a victory today».

The success takes on even greater significance in light of the future outlook and the underperformance of Wout Van Aert who, dealing with physical issues, dropped back from his teammates very early on. As explained by performance manager Mathieu Heijboer, today's race represented an important test ahead of one of the most anticipated appointments of the season, the Tour de France

«This victory is very important - Heijboer stated - It was a dress rehearsal for the team time trial at the Tour de France, so it's fantastic that we managed to win here. These are special days for the team. The team time trial is a discipline that highlights team spirit even more. Every rider and every staff member made an important contribution to this performance. We've been preparing for months, so this victory means a lot to us. It's a victory for the entire team and we'll enjoy it together».

The success achieved on the roads of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes once again confirmed the depth and organization of Team Visma - Lease a Bike, capable of transforming months of preparation into a prestigious victory. A result that not only strengthens Jorgenson's position in the race for the general classification, but also represents an important signal ahead of the upcoming appointments.