"If the Tour de France wildcard turns out to be a possibility..." - What is the limit of Bas Tietema's Unibet Rose Rockets?

Unibet Rose Rockets are quickly becoming one of the top ProTeams in the scene, having signed several top riders this winter that will exponencially increase their level into the 2026 season. It is even possible to aim for a Tour de France wildcard in a few months, taking into consideration the array of top riders that have come into the team.

"Our story is on an upward trend every year. It's essential that your budget grows in line with the races you compete in and the value you represent," team manager Bas Tietema said in an interview with Wielerflits. "It's true that initially people thought: 'Great, your project. But where will it go?' The interest we're seeing now feels like confirmation." The Unibet team is no longer a small project and no longer a flashy but secondary team in the peloton.

In Dylan Groenewegen - and his leadout man Elmar Reinders - the team has made its biggest investment, in search of taking big wins. The signing of Astana's Wout Poels as another Dutch weapon for the mountain races; European Championships time trial podium finisher Niklas Larsen; Czech Tour stage winner Jannis Peeters; Irish Champion and Hamburg Cyclassics winner Rory Townsend; Novo Nordisk talent Mathys Kopecky and now finally Victor Lafay add serious firepower (adding to Lukas Kubis) who can certainly perform at the high level and on multiple terrains.

Financially the team is taking a step up and that could improve even further in the near future. "Those discussions aren't at their final stages yet. But we could suddenly find ourselves in a different position if the Tour de France wildcard turns out to be a possibility, or if we start riding other major races."

Above all, the growth of the team in terms of quality will mean that it will be able to fight for wins in many races and it is a drastic change from the one-leader strategy of this year with the Slovakian Lukas Kubis who was the team's great highlighter. In a World Tour calendar, having quality riders in multiple terrains will also improve the chances of obtaining wildcards all round.

"The depth of the squad will be crucial, especially if we have to ride more races at a higher level. Especially if we ride a double program, the 'lesser' of those two races is very special for us with a view to the UCI points. With Groenewegen, we will make clear choices, but that doesn't mean we can neglect the race where he doesn't ride."

However not all is perfect with the team as it has encountered a big obstacle this year, as its rider Giovanni Carboni was suspended for an anti-doping violation. The positive test did not happen whilst the rider was in the team, but it certainly has taken a reputational hit.

"That's unfortunate for everyone, first and foremost. WADA made a finding before he joined us. The fact that it's reflecting on us is never pleasant, of course; it doesn't make you happy," the Dutchman admits.

"But it's not like there are now suddenly parties saying, 'Oh, because of that doping case, I don't want to compete anymore.' It's important for us to continue communicating transparently about this situation. That's all we can do."