Visma-Lease a Bike have secured the future of super talent Seff Van Kerckhove until the end of 2030, signing the Belgian away from the Decathlon CMA CGM U19 Team.
18-year-old Van Kerckhove was expected to continue his pathway to the WorldTour through the French team, until a report in DirectVelo pointed to a change of decision towards the Dutch team, where his brother Matisse Van Kerckhove has been racing for the past two seasons on their development team.
Visma confirmed his arrival for next season on Tuesday, with older brother Matisse already set to step up to the WorldTour squad in 2027.
"It is a great honour to join one of the biggest teams in cycling. I believe in the team’s sporting project and am convinced that it offers the ideal environment for me to continue developing and get the best out of myself," said Van Kerckhove.
"From the first conversations, I felt that the team was a great fit for me. Its sporting vision and the way everything is structured really appeal to me.
"I recognise myself in the team’s philosophy and believe I am a good fit. I am very excited to start this new chapter, work towards my races with the support of the team and continue to grow as a rider in the years ahead."
Seff Van Kerckhove has impressed throughout 2026, landing GC victories at the Giro Della Lunigiana and Volta Castelló, and taking the junior Belgian time trial title. He also finished on the podium overall at the Tour du Pays de Vaud and Ain Bugey Valromey Tour, losing out to fellow top prospect Benjamín Noval.
He is currently out of action due to injury, having been forced to miss out on the World Championships after he was hit by the driver of a car in Canada ahead of the time trial. He likely would've been one of the closest challengers to double champion Noval – having finished third in the Worlds TT during his first junior season – who is heading for Netcompany Ineos in 2027.
"We are excited to welcome Seff to our programme. He has shown a strong commitment to his development, and we believe he has the mindset and qualities needed to continue progressing," said Visma's Head of Development Robbert de Groot.
"At this stage of his career, it is important to create the right conditions for him to learn and gain experience. We believe Seff has the qualities to take significant steps forward over the long term.
"He still has plenty of room to grow, and we look forward to helping him realise his full potential by giving him the time, guidance and opportunities to take those steps at the right pace."