Merijn Zeeman News Update
Zeeman sports director at Jumbo Visma
Merijn Zeeman is a Dutch cycling coach and general manager of the UCI World Tour cycling team Team Jumbo-Visma. He was born on December 12, 1978, in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Zeeman has a master’s degree in sports management from the Johan Cruyff Institute.
Merijn Zeeman’s career
Zeeman began his career as a cycling coach in 2003, working with various youth teams in the Netherlands. In 2006, he joined the Rabobank development team, which later became Team Jumbo-Visma. Zeeman has been with the team ever since, and has played a key role in its success.
Under Zeeman’s leadership, Team Jumbo-Visma has won numerous races, including the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España, and the Giro d’Italia. The team has also been ranked number one in the UCI World Team Ranking for several years.
Zeeman is known for his innovative approach to coaching and his ability to get the most out of his riders. He is also a highly respected figure in the cycling world.
Zeeman’s accomplishments
- In 2011, he was awarded the Talent of the Year award by the Dutch Sports Coaches Association.
- In 2015, he was named Coach of the Year by the Wielerflits magazine.
- In 2017, he was awarded the Johan Cruyff Lifetime Achievement Award.
- In 2023, Jumbo Visma enters history by winning 3 Grand Tours
Zeeman is a passionate and dedicated coach who is committed to helping his riders succeed. He is a valuable asset to Team Jumbo-Visma and is widely respected in the cycling world.
Jumbo-Visma’s season 2023
The Dutch team had an exceptional season in 2023, winning the three Grand Tours with three different riders: Primoz Roglic, Jonas Vingegaard and Sepp Kuss. The team’s sports director, reflects on the future of his team and the challenges ahead.
Zeeman’s concerns
He is afraid that the success of this season will not be repeated next year. He considers there are some things that the team did not do well and that he plans to make some changes in the technical staff and bring new influences. He also wants to keep the internal competition high and make sure that Vingegaard does not feel too comfortable and that he can lose his place if he performs poorly.
Zeeman’s plans for the future
Zeeman also looks ahead to the 2024 season and focuses on two points: the Giro and the loss of Roglic. He says he wants to send young talents to the Giro, but he does not aim for the overall victory. He hopes to replace Roglic with someone who is already in the team, but he admits that there is no one at his level yet. He thinks that without Roglic, there will be less conversations, discussions and difficult choices in the staff. He praises Roglic for being so demanding and raising the team to a higher level.
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