Visma-Lease a Bike have announced that former directeur sportif Addy Engels is rejoining the team as a race coach, while they have also brought Joey van Rhee on board from Picnic PostNL in the same role.
Engels worked for Giant-Shimano after his racing retirement in 2011, then joining Visma as a DS, staying with the Dutch team from 2016 to the end of the 2025 season. He spent 2026 with Tudor but is now heading back to his old squad.
"It feels good to return to Team Visma-Lease a Bike. At the same time, it also feels very familiar to be part of this team again," Engels said.
"I am very happy that this opportunity came up and that I can return to the team. What has always appealed to me within the team is the strong trust that exists between people. That was an important reason for me to return.
"After a year away, I am really looking forward to working with all these familiar faces again and contributing to the team’s ambitions and objectives for the coming seasons."
Visma-Lease a Bike head of racing Marc Reef said that the connection between Engels and the team is a "special" one, noting that his familiarity with the team is a big advantage.
"The connection between Addy and our team has always been special. Over the years, we have built a strong relationship and he has always fitted perfectly within our way of working," he said.
"With Addy, we bring in a very experienced race coach. He knows our team inside out, is familiar with our culture and way of working, and knows both the staff and the riders well. That knowledge and familiarity are a great added value."
33-year-old Van Rhee has been working as a directeur sportif at Picnic since 2023, having retired from racing five years earlier.
"I am looking forward to developing myself and to working together with the riders on their growth, helping them step by step to get the best out of themselves, both on and off the bike," he said.
"What particularly appeals to me is the scientific way of working within the team. From performance and training to nutrition, knowledge is brought together in all areas to support the riders as well as possible.
"I hope that at Team Visma-Lease a Bike I can not only get the best out of myself, but also contribute to the development of the riders and the team as a whole. I strongly believe in the way of working within this team and in what we can achieve together. It is great to feel that mutual trust."
Reef said that the two new backroom additions bring a "strong combination of experience, ambition, and a new energy" to the squad for next season and beyond.
"With the arrival of Addy and Joey, we strengthen our coaching group in a very balanced way. Together, they bring a strong combination of experience, ambition and new energy to the team. That balance provides the necessary stability, while at the same time bringing new impulses and challenges that help us continue to grow as a team."
The two signings are the first staff moves Visma-Lease a Bike has made this offseason. The team has promoted Nathan Van Hooydonck from a commercial role to a new position as sporting director on their sport management team. Head of the sport management team, Jacco Verhaeren, is on the outgoing list.
The team has also hired Giorgia Bronzini as a directeur sportif for the women's squad.
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