Visma-Lease a Bike have confirmed their first new signing for the 2027 season as Mark Donovan, with the British rider signing a two-year deal with the Dutch team.
Donovan, 27, will join after four seasons with Pinarello Q36.5, marking his first return to a WorldTour team since leaving DSM in 2022. A versatile climber and former GC winner of the Sibiu Tour in 2023, the Briton will bolster the team's climbing support.
"Visma-Lease a Bike is one of the best teams in the world, so when they come and ask you to join the team, there is no need to think twice," said Donovan on the team website.
Latest Videos FromCyclingnews
"I’ve been in the professional peloton for quite some time now, and the past few years I’ve been able to develop and find out the type of rider I am, so making the step into this team really feels like the right moment for me, and I am really excited to see how much I can develop in this structure and which steps I will be able to take. While being part of a Grand Tour-winning team, I hope to be able to continue to show my consistency and hope to add my part in helping the team to win races."
Visma's most recent new arrival has been Fabio Jakobsen, but that was a mid-season transfer, with the Dutch rider and Picnic PostNL agreeing to terminate his contract early. The only other new rider confirmed as part of the 2027 roster is Matisse Van Kerckhove, who was announced to be stepping up from Visma's development team next season back in January.
Aside from being a consistent performer who should get through a mountain of work riding on the front in support of the super team's big leaders, Visma are also hoping to eke out some of his "untapped potential."
"I think Mark will fit very well into the way we approach racing. He has shown in recent seasons that he is a very reliable and versatile rider who can be relied upon in different situations, and he has the ability to perform when the level of the race is high," said Visma's head of racing Marc Reef.
"We see that being particularly valuable for us in stage races, where he can play an important role around our leaders. We also believe there is still some untapped potential that we are excited to develop together, as he is still only 27."
With Donovan's arrival and the majority of Visma's riders still being under contract into next year, their 2027 roster is already up to 28 riders. It comes after the shock retirement of Simon Yates in January and the imminent retirement of Steven Kruijswijk. The only 2026 rider on the team without a confirmed contract for next year at the Dutch team is Loe van Belle.
Subscribe to Cyclingnews for comprehensive race coverage of both the UCI Road and Gravel World Championships, alongside the final monument of the season, Il Lombardia. Subscribers get unlimited access to exclusive analysis from our expert columnists, in-depth features and industry-leading tech insight. Plus, the Cyclingnews app lets you follow the action wherever you go! Join today.
