Visma-Lease a Bike signal under-23 world champion Niklas Behrens on three-year deal

Visma-Lease a Bike have signed under-23 street race world champion Niklas Behrens to bolster their squad for 2025 and past after his spectacular show in Zürich.

The younger German lower his enamel as a U23 rider this previous season on Lidl-Trek’s improvement staff, Future Racing, nevertheless, he is to make the step as much as WorldTour-level with the Dutch squad on a three-year deal.

“I’m tremendous completely satisfied to affix Team Visma-Lease a Bike,” mentioned Behrens on the team’s website. “This is a staff I’ve all the time seemed as much as because of the excessive degree of professionalism. I’m actually trying ahead to being a part of such a terrific staff.”

Behrens gained the U23 title in a two-up dash towards Martin Svrček (Soudal-QuickStep) after making the decisive transfer 11km from the end within the 173km race and dropping everybody however the Czech rider whereas additionally passing solo breakaway Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates).

With his powerfully constructed body, Visma hope the 20-year-old can develop as a Classics rider with time-trialling potential and a powerful dash additionally in his arsenal. 

Even at 195cm (6ft 4in), Behrens confirmed he might climb with the punchiest U23 riders and drop them after the breathless four-hour race, with these shedding out together with well-established WT skills Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) and Joseph Blackmore (Israel-Premier Tech).

“I hope to find my true speciality within the coming years with the assistance of the staff,” mentioned the German. 

“I consider I can carry out properly in classics, however I additionally need to additional develop my time-trialing expertise. Additionally, I’m not sluggish in a dash, which is essential for successful races.”

He’s considered one of 5 prime under-23 prospects set to bolster the Dutch roster within the coming years, alongside 4 from Visma’s personal improvement staff, Matthew Brennan, Menno Huising, Tijmen Graat and Jørgen Nordhagen.

Having confirmed his standing as top-of-the-line younger riders on this planet with victory in Zürich, after spectacular shows already this 12 months on the Giro Next Gen and European Championships, Behrens’ signature was extremely wanted. However, he was additionally the one rider within the prime 12 finishers of the U23 race to not have a WorldTour contract secured for the longer term, making it an enormous win for Visma-Lease a Bike.

“Niklas is a rider with numerous potential. He caught our consideration over the previous two years in a number of races, together with the latest Tour de l’Avenir,” mentioned Visma DS and compatriot Grischa Niermann. 

“He hasn’t been racing for lengthy and has numerous development margin. We are assured that we will information him to the subsequent step in his nonetheless early profession.”