David Dekker compares Arkéa - B&B Hotels with his new team Euskaltel-Euskadi: "I feel a bit more at home here"

After stints at Jumbo-Visma and Arkéa - B&B Hotels, David Dekker set out to explore unknown territory in 2025. Euskaltel - Euskadi used to be almost exclusively Basque team since its resurrection in 2018. But the UCI points battle caught up to this traditional team as well and thus many new faces came aboard. Including Dekker.

The Spanish communication between Dekker and his Spanish teammates and staff members is not yet completely flawless, but they are working on it. "I have been using Duolingo for half a year now," he tells In de Leiderstrui about the progress. The rider hopes to master the Spanish language using this app.

"The speaking is a bit less, but the understanding is going pretty well. Especially when it comes to the race and you have a screen with words on it. I understand at least half, but the most important half."

Still, not everything depends on the Spanish language skills of Dekker, who started his professional career at Jumbo-Visma. "They really do speak English. The team leaders maybe a little less, because they are older. But the riders all understand and speak English, fortunately."

Strangely enough, Dekker immediately found home in the mostly-Basque formation. Euskaltel opened its doors to foreigners in 2025 and welcomed not only Dekker with open arms. "It's fun. There's a nice atmosphere. Spanish culture is a bit more relaxed. Not in terms of professionalism, but I really like the atmosphere in the team."

And that is immediately a contrast with his old employer Arkéa - B&B Hotels, for which Dekker raced the two years before. "In that respect I think so. I feel a bit more at home here. The French can be a bit more closed, which makes it harder for a foreigner to fully integrate into the team."

As a pro-continental team, it is also important for Euskaltel-Euskadi to collect enough points to qualify for wildcards for grand tours after the season. Just qualifying is enough for potential sponsors to commit to a team. "The points are simply important, so they often choose to sprint with two guys."

One of those guys is Dekker himself. With his fast legs he often had a good final shot in recent years. Last season he was not able to show those legs often, and this year Dekker is not lucky yet. "Things are going better. I got sick after Ruta del Sol, which meant I had to skip Le Samyn. After that I still haven't reached my level."

David Dekker was at the start of Région Pays de la Loire Tour on Tuesday as one of Euskaltel's main sprint hopes, but the illness is clearly still plaguing Dekker's form as he abandoned that race rather soon.