German rider Michel Hessmann will not have his contract extended by Visma-Lease a Bike at the end of the current season after he serves a seven-month suspension for doping offences, the team confirmed on Wednesday evening.
After several months, Hessmann’s case has now been resolved after the World Anti Doping Agency [WADA] appealed the four-month suspension he was initially handed by German anti doping authorities [NADA].
Hessmann was contracted to Visma until the end of the current season, but the team announced that he will now not be offered a new deal as he serves the remainder of his suspension.
"Michel Hessmann will no longer ride for Team Visma-Lease a Bike," a team statement on their website read. "The German rider has reached a settlement with WADA, the world anti-doping agency. He will be allowed to race again from 14 March 2025. Hessmann has an expiring contract until 2024 and will therefore no longer ride for Team Visma-Lease a Bike."
Hessmann was immediately suspended by Visma-Lease a Bike in June last year when he returned a positive anti-doping test result. The German tested positive for a banned diuretic, chlorthalidone, and a later B-sample analysis backed up the result.
Diuretics are banned by the world anti-doping agency [WADA]. They can cause rapid weight loss and have also been used as masking agents, to conceal the use of other doping products. They are banned both in and out of competition.
A four-year ban from competition seemed likely, but German authorities later backed down and accepted Hessmann’s claims that contaminated painkillers were likely to have caused the initial positive test result.
Visma-Lease a Bike’s statement explained that a conclusion had been reached that showed the positive test result could have been accidental, with links to Lizzy Bank's case. Nevertheless, the team made it clear that he would not be offered a new deal at the end of the current season.
"NADA and WADA both concluded that it was plausible that Hessmann had taken a contaminated medicine such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or naproxen," the team’s statement continued.
"Earlier, German prosecutors therefore dismissed the case. In June 2024 NADA suspended the rider for four months, with a retroactive effect of three months, allowing him to return to action at the end of July.
"But WADA appealed, after which the rider and WADA reached a settlement to remain suspended until 14 March 2025. Michel Hessmann will therefore no longer compete for the team."
Visma-Lease a Bike team boss Richard Plugge said late last year that the day the squad were notified of Hessman’s positive result was a "black day" for the Dutch WorldTour team.
