“I have to dare to let go” – Bas Tietema set for new role within his own team Unibet Titetema Rockets

Bas Tietema, co-owner and founder of Unibet Tietema Rockets, is adjusting his role within the team as it continues to grow. Since the squad’s formation, the 30-year-old has transitioned from rider to team leader, but with the increasing demands of management and performance development, he believes stepping back from direct race leadership is the right decision.

"Every year my role within the team changes," Tietema told Wielerflits. "First I was a rider, then team leader. But with our growth of the performance team, there are people who can fill the role of team leader with more passion and energy than I can. Although it is a choice with a heavy heart. I think following a race like this from the car is great to do, but I also have to dare to let go. Those people have to come into their own and be able to take responsibility for the team."

The expansion of the team’s race calendar has been a key factor in his decision.

"Certainly now that we are going to drive a broader program, sometimes even with three races at the same time. When I get in the car, I am far too focused on that one, specific race. While the trajectory of the team is much broader than that. We are working on many things that you only see much later, but that have been with us for much longer. The entire Rockets part was set up in June, but we only recently came out with that."

Tietema, who started the YouTube channel "Tour de Tietema" in 2019 and has managed the team since 2023, believes he can offer more value by focusing on the bigger picture rather than individual race-day decisions.

"In other words: I can be of much more value with those strategic choices than determining in a match what tactics we should do. That way I can help the team achieve success better than if I spend a lot of kilometers in the car."

To lead the team on race days, Julia Soek has taken charge of sporting leadership, with Tietema playing a supporting role alongside Devin and Josse.

"She is the one who manages the team, but I, Devin and Josse support her and take her with us in where we want to go with the team. That is my biggest task in my opinion: taking people with us in our story and making our dream come true. That is about explaining our story to the partners and organizers, binding people to the organization, making choices and providing support. We have been living this team for five years, and we have to be able to pass that on."

Although stepping away from day-to-day race leadership, Tietema still enjoys being involved in the action.

"On that day itself, it is very nice to be in the follow-up car. It is not without reason that many team owners still have a double function. I still have my license, and if it really has to be done, then it is nice that I can do it. But in principle that will not happen much anymore. If I am there, it is as a spectator and not as head team leader."

However, he firmly believes that his presence at major races should not override the team structure.

"No! I wouldn’t think it was right if I said: it’s the Amstel Gold Race, so now I’m going to lead the team. It should be the other way around. If you were to say at the most important moment that you wanted to go, that would be very strange. That would be like the owner of a football team suddenly standing on the sidelines in the Champions League final and ousting the coach."