“In football, by the way, this is normal. People leave and switch clubs,” said a clearly shaken Richard Plugge, the manager of Visma-Lease a Bike. He was confirming the news that his head of racing Grischa Niermann would be leaving to join Lidl-Trek as chief sporting officer.

Yes, in the world’s most-watched sport, managerial and backroom staff merry-go-rounds are a common occurrence. Coaches typically don’t last beyond a year or two, and teams regularly poach from one another.

But in cycling, said to be the world’s eighth-most-followed sport, it’s not common. Professional bike racing has largely been built on a structure of contracts being respected, management teams being in place for at least half a decade but often much longer, and rivals only pouncing for each other’s talents once contracts are terminated.

That illusion has steadily been eroded in recent years with a number of mid-contract signings and buyouts, but it was well and truly shattered this week with the announcement that Niermann — one of Visma’s leading strategic masterminds during a period of unprecedented success — would be departing for a rival intent on replacing them at the top of the pile.

The former German pro, who has been at Visma since 2017, will work under former Tour de France winner Andy Schleck, who has been promoted to Lidl-Trek’s CEO, replacing the well-respected Luca Guercilena as the team’s top boss.

This article was published by The Athletic/New York Times in June 2026. You can read the full article here.