Tour de France strategies to break Pogacar come from this new strategist at Visma | Lease a Bike after Zeeman’s departure
Tour de France strategies to break Pogacar come from this new strategist at Visma | Lease a Bike after Zeeman’s departure
Replacing sports director Merijn Zeeman is proving challenging, as evidenced by Visma | Lease a Bike's decision to collaborate with not one, but five people in the sports management team starting in October to oversee athletic performance. Under director Richard Plugge, newcomer Jacco Verhaeren, well-known coaches Grischa Niermann and Mathieu Heijboer, and head of youth training Robbert de Groot will form a core team. The name of Patrick Broe also appears, but who is he?
In an introductory interview on the site of Visma | Lease a Bike, the 31-year-old Australian introduces himself. He moved from Brisbane to London and back to Brisbane before settling in Andorra with his wife. They both initially worked as lawyers, but Broe eventually entered the world of cycling full-time through the creation of the Lantern Rouge YouTube channel (and later a podcast), even moving from Australia to Europe due to the time difference.
Broe began doing some work for Visma | Lease a Bike, then called Jumbo-Visma, in early 2022. "It was around January or February of that year. It started with making video analyses. That's where the collaboration began and it has gradually intensified over the years." Indeed, from October 1, Broe will be part of the team's management, where he will be responsible for devising tactical plans. "My role is primarily about devising race strategy. This involves analyzing opponents, our own strengths and weaknesses, and the courses of various races."
Broe aims to finally win a cobblestone monument with Visma | Lease a Bike
The well-known Tour plan, which Visma | Lease a Bike used in 2022 to break Tadej Pogacar, will come from Broe's initiative. "In addition, I also provide advice on how we can prepare for a specific race in the best possible way. My responsibilities are not just short-term tasks, but also include scouting, particularly young and talented riders who fit perfectly with the core values and goals of the team. I will also try to advise the commercial team with innovative ideas."
A very broad range of tasks, something that Broe is pleased with. He is as ambitious as the team itself. "It's a big dream to someday win the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix with the team. It is also a personal ambition to be part of the team that wins the most grand tours in the history of cycling. The approach at the team is entirely built around making sports history. We are all working to create a legacy. Getting to the top is step one, but staying there is much harder. It's a very interesting project. I am proud to be a part of it."