"He can help us move forward immediately": Unibet Rockets manager has high expectations of Wout Poels
Cycling
Unibet Rose Rockets will become a name to be respected within the professional peloton in 2026. A project that started on whim rather than with a clear vision has taken things up a notch this season with mutliple strong recruitments on the transfer market. Their latest "magic trick" was to sign Wout Poels, a former winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege, two Grand Tour stages and a total of 26 professional triumphs.
"He's not coming to us to take it easy," Tietema said last week in the press release confirming Poels' arrival. "From the first conversation, it was clear that he wants to go all in. That mentality suits us perfectly and shows where we want to go."
Unibet Rockets bet on a team comprising of mostly young riders, or riders with limited experience of racing at the highest level. For that reason, a seasoned pro such as Poels will be a key reference point for the up and coming talents of the French team such as the 25-year-old German climber Jannis Peter who impressed with a stage victory at the Czech Tour, and for whom 2026 will mark a professional debut.
"He's invaluable to our young riders," Tietema confirms the role that Poels will take up within his team. But Poels also remains a very strong rider and results are expected of him next year: "At the same time, he can still win great races himself. He's the perfect match."
Immediate impact
Tietema further elaborated on the veteran Dutchman's arrival in an interview for In de Leiderstrui. "We have a fairly young group," he notes. "We're still a bit lacking the experience he brings. He can help us move forward immediately."
Dylan Groenewegen is another key acquisition of Unibet Rockets for 2026
While the sprint train of Unibet Rockets is starting to take shape with the arrival of Dylan Groenewegen, the team also gains a strong time trialist in European championships' bronze medallist Niklas Larsen and Lukas Kubis seems ready to take on the Classics, the climbing department of the French-licensed team has been somewhat lacking thus far.
"The climbing level is, of course, high in the WorldTour. The guys can grow with Wout," Bas Tietema sounds confident in Poels' immediate impact.
After Groenewegen, Poels is a second "large item" on Unibet Rockets' shopping list in this transfer window. The two Dutchmen with rich WorldTour experience and extensive palmares that include Grand Tour triumphs are set to become the pillars of a team with ambition to race the Tour de France. Ideally already in 2026.
According to the team director, the negotiations with Poels went smoothly. "We've known him for a while from the Tour de France [where Tour de Tietema made a name for themselves back then as YouTubers, ed.]. He was exploring his next goals. It was very important to him that he really wanted to go for something. We have a lot of fun together."
Signings of Unibet Rose Rockets for 2026 so far: Dylan Groenewegen (NED), Elmar Reinders (NED), Wout Poels (NED), Niklas Larsen (DEN), Matyas Kopecky (CZE), Jannis Peter (GER) and Rory Townsend (IRL).
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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