“There was no reason to leave” – Tour de France Femmes stage winner Charlotte Kool departs Picnic PostNL mid season

Charlotte Kool’s time with Team Picnic PostNL has ended sooner than expected, with the Dutch sprinter making an immediate move to Fenix-Deceuninck. The 26-year-old, who joined in 2022, departs having claimed two Tour de France stage victories and one at the Vuelta a España. The mid-season switch, confirmed by both teams, is unusual in women’s cycling and required a rare three-party agreement to get UCI approval. Such transfers are only possible between August 1st and 15th, making this a landmark case.

“I am and was very happy with Team Picnic PostNL and there was no reason to leave. The interest of my new team presented an appealing challenge that I am eager to take on. I am grateful and appreciative to my current team for the opportunities provided to develop both athletically and personally.

“I look forward to taking on a new challenge with my next team, which was made possible by the cooperation of Team Picnic PostNL,” Kool said in a team press release.

Her new employer, Fenix-Deceuninck, will have her in the line-up for the remainder of the 2025 season. The move follows in the footsteps of Lorena Wiebes, who switched teams twice in the winter despite an active contract, though this is the first such in-season transfer under the current UCI regulations.

Coach Rudi Kemna reflected on her departure, saying, “Charlotte has really grown with us over the years and together we’ve shared many great memories and successes, which we are grateful for. We can understand that she takes this opportunity, she is a rider who really fits in the team and maybe one day in the future we will welcome her back.

“While we wish Charlotte the best of luck, we look forward with our Women’s program with motivation and ambition. We have a strong group of women there and great depth to our roster, who are building in a great way this season and beyond. We look forward to continuing with momentum into our next races.”