Team Visma-Lease a Bike’s 2026 season keeps unraveling, with Christophe Laporte crashing out of the Vuelta a Andalucia while fighting for the overall lead, adding another setback to a campaign already hit by injuries, illness, and repeated misfortune.
Team Visma-Lease a Bike’s turbulent start to the 2026 season took another blow on Monday, as Christophe Laporte crashed out of the Vuelta a Andalucia while in contention for overall victory.
The Dutch squad has endured a difficult opening stretch, marked by retirements, illnesses, and repeated crashes affecting much of its leadership core.
After ankle issues sidelined Wout van Aert earlier this year and illness disrupted Jonas Vingegaard’s preparations, Laporte’s withdrawal further compounds a campaign that has yet to find stability.
The Frenchman had offered a rare bright spot. After two seasons disrupted by illness and injury that kept him out of the cobbled classics, Laporte returned to racing in strong form, winning the opening stage in Andalucia and positioning himself well in both the general and points classifications.
His resurgence suggested momentum at precisely the moment the team needed it.
That momentum ended abruptly.
According to team sports director Marc Reef, a rider ahead of Laporte slipped and collided with his front wheel. With no room to avoid the incident, Laporte crashed and was forced to abandon the race. Initial assessments suggest he may have avoided serious injury, but his chances in the race disappeared instantly.
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