Visma-Lease a Bike confirmed the signing of Louis Barré (Intermarché-Wanty) on a three-year contract through 2028 on January 1. The 25-year-old French puncheur becomes the 29th rider on the Dutch squad's 2026 roster following a breakthrough season that included sixth-place finishes at both the Amstel Gold Race and GP Montréal.
The transfer was facilitated by significant administrative instability surrounding the rumoured Lotto-Intermarché merger. That merger process, which began with a letter of intent in July 2025, was reportedly hampered by an estimated €2.5m debt carried by Intermarché-Wanty.
The resignation of Lotto CEO Stéphane Heulot in September 2025 and subsequent staff layoffs created contractual limbo for riders, Visma then began negotiations with Barré during the merger uncertainty according to reports at the time by Wielerflits.
"The team is innovative in every area: nutrition, equipment, training camps, and more," Barré said alongside today's team announcement. "I think I can become the best version of myself here."
Head of racing Grischa Niermann confirmed the team's tactical intentions. "We see in him a good addition for the demanding hilly classics," he said. "Louis caught our eye during the tougher one-day races. He achieved some great results there, and he also showed himself in the Dauphin."
Barré's 2025 season included results across multiple race formats. Beyond his Amstel and Montréal results, he secured third on a stage at the Critérium du Dauphiné, fourth at the Tour de Romandie, and sixth at the French National Championships.
Visma intend to deploy Barré in two primary capacities: as a classics contender supporting the team in Ardennes-style races, and as a versatile domestique supporting general classification leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike).
"I want to keep focusing on the hilly classics because that’s where I perform best," Barré said. "But I’m also looking forward to improving in week-long stage races."
