Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 12:54 PM
Jonas Vingegaard has responded for the first time to the news that sporting director Merijn Zeeman will leave Visma after this season | Lease a Bike. The coach is moving to football club AZ from his hometown of Alkmaar. “Of course it would be a great loss if he leaves,” Vingegaard said The newspapaer.
“Merijn is very important for the team. He has been a big part of the team for as long as I can remember,” said the Dane, who became a two-time Tour winner under Zeeman’s wings. “I think he, Richard Plugge, Mathieu Heijboer and Grischa Niermann form a very good team. They have brought the team to where it is today, so Merijn is certainly one of our great architects.”
Vingegaard indicated that the news about Zeeman’s upcoming departure had not yet been officially communicated to the riders. “If it is so, then it is so,” says a sober Vingegaard. “We cannot change his decision, but of course I hope he will stay with the team.”
After reporting from BNR got CyclingFlits Tuesday evening confirmed that Zeeman has opted for an adventure in the football world after this cycling season. All parties involved announced the news on Wednesday afternoon. He will start working at AZ as general manager. Zeeman has never made it a secret that he wants to make the move to football one day.
