The rumors have already been circulating and have now been confirmed by Visma-Lease a Bike itself: sporting director Merijn Zeeman is leaving the Dutch top team at the end of this season for a new adventure. “I make this decision with pain in my heart,” he said. Zeeman switches to football and starts working at Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar.
Merijn Zeeman has been a fixture in the Visma team for many years. He has been working there since 2012 and became sporting director in 2017. So he contributed to the team’s success. But at the end of this cycling season, his adventure in cycling is completely over.
The rumors that have been circulating since yesterday are correct: Zeeman will start working at AZ Alkmaar, a football club in the Eredivisie.
“This is a difficult decision that I make with a heavy heart,” he said in a statement. “I have worked on this with heart and soul for 13 years. We have come a long way together and are now one of the best cycling teams in the world. I am extremely proud of that. We have made history and 2023 was an absolute highlight. “
“But I believe that everyone should continue to challenge themselves. And for me, that challenge is a step to AZ Alkmaar.”
I have worked on this with heart and soul for 13 years. We have come a long way together and are now one of the best cycling teams in the world.
Merijn Zeeman
Zeeman will therefore finish the cycling season and on December 1 he will start his new professional chapter at AZ. René Neelissen, chairman of the Supervisory Board at AZ, is satisfied. “We have never hesitated to attract people from outside football with their own strong vision on the functioning of a top sports organization. Merijn fits in perfectly.”
“With his innovative and modern programs with which he has worked in the cycling world, Merijn will add specific qualities to AZ. Moreover, as a director he knows what winning is. He is known as a director who dares to think innovatively and outside the box and goes after it. dares to act.”
Plugge: “Zeeman has been invaluable to this team”
Richard Plugge, the CEO of Visma-Lease a Bike, also responds to the departure on the team website. “I think it’s a shame, Merijn is a colleague and a friend. But I understand his decision.”
“We have built this team together and Merijn has been invaluable with his vision, his leadership qualities, his knowledge and drive.”
“His departure hurts, but we have confidence in the organization that is now in place. In the coming months we will look at how we are going to deal with this. First we want to make 2024 an equally successful year.”
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