Important domestique of Mathieu van der Poel renews in massive transfer news from Alpecin-Deceuninck
Cycling
As we're already used to, team Alpecin-Deceuninck doesn't waste time announcing their transfers one by one. For the Wednesday morning, they've prepared four transfer announcements. While two long-time members renew their contacts, the other two men will be promoted from Alpecin's development team.
Let's start with extensions where we see experienced domestiques Oscar Riesebeek and Silvan Dillier have extended their contracts for two more seasons. As key support riders and road captains, they remain key core of the team's ambitions especially at Classics where mainly Dillier played key part in a number of Mathieu van der Poel's victories.
"I am really happy to extend my contract," says Oscar. "It feels like a second family here. I am proud te be part of such a committed group, and it is an honor to help the team shine in the biggest races."
The same feeling with Silvan. "After five years, this team feels like a second family. And it is an honor to support our leaders on their way to big victories. Continuing this journey means a lot to me."
Aaron Dockx
The most exciting recruit to debut at WorldTour level in 2026 is the 20-year-old Aaron Dockx. The Belgian climber impressed last year with a stage victory in a queen stage of Giro della Regione Friuli Venezia Giulia (2.2), coming on top of some the biggest talents such as Jorgen Nordhagen (Visma), Giulio Pellizzari (RB Bora) and Pablo Torres (UAE).
A top-10 finisher at hilly classics Fleche Ardennaises and L-B-L U23 as well as Paris-Roubaix Espoirs, Dockx seems to have a great future ahead of him on road. And let's not forget that, like many of his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates, Dockx rides cyclocross in the winter. Last winter he became national under-23 champion.
"I am super happy to make the switch to the WorldTeam. It feels like my childhood dream is coming true. I look forward to continuing to work in this environment with perfect support and let’s see what the future brings," he said in a press release.
Lennert Belmans
The second recruit of Alpecin is the 23-year-old Lennert Belmans. As such, he doesn't have as impressive palmares as his younger compatriot. While he seemed to have a future ahead in cyclocross after taking silver medal at the junior World Championships 2020, Belmans eventually fully switched over to road after his 7th place at U23 championships in 2023.
That seems to have been a good decision for the young Belgian into top-30 of Sibiu Tour in 2023 and year later finished 13th at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs and GP New York, showcasing versatility just like Aaron Dockx.
"I am very happy to make the move to the WorldTeam and continue to develop in a trusted environment," says Lennert. "My goal for the next two years is to become a valuable member of the team and continue to grow as a rider and as a person."
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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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