The Visma | Lease a Bike team is determined to reclaim its position as the world’s top-ranked UCI team, and CEO Richard Plugge is actively searching for new sponsors to support the team’s ambitious investment plans. The recent addition of Netcompany as a major sponsor for Ineos has raised the stakes, prompting Plugge to make a case for why companies should invest in Visma.
“I believe Visma | Lease a Bike represents the best investment opportunity in professional cycling. Many brands and companies recognize this, which is positive for us. We have big plans with our current partners for the coming years,” Plugge told Danish outlet Feltet.
Among potential investors, Dutch billionaire Robert Van der Wallen, currently president of PSV Eindhoven, has been mentioned. However, Plugge hopes to find corporate backing rather than personal funds. “Robert is a great friend of mine and of the team, but I don’t want him to put his own money into the team if we can’t find a sponsor. We are a business. We want to keep growing and become the best team in the world in the coming years. Maybe we already are, but we want to grow together with Visma. This is important to us, and we are working hard on that plan. Our success starts from the foundation. We want to be the number one team in the UCI ranking again, and from that base, we will keep building our team,” he added.
{Various sponsors and partnerships are being explored as Visma aims to strengthen its roster and infrastructure to compete at the highest level. The team’s focus remains on long-term growth and sustainability, with Plugge emphasizing the need for a strong financial base to support their ambitions.}
