"UAE smashed all records this year" - Bas Tietema on how drafts or budget caps could equal cycling's level playing field

Unibet Tietema Rockets are one of the most inovative projects in pro cycling over the past few years and by the year the French team is growing its level. In 2026 it's already having Dylan Groenewegen on board as a strong new leader and the Tour de France is becoming a more realistic dream. But Bas Tietema is well aware that at the top of the charts there is an overwhelming dominance by some teams and ponders on how this could be minimized.

“I think every sport has an interest of a competitive field where it's not known upfront who is going to win. You want to have excitement," the Dutchman said in Domestique's Hotseat podcast. "For example, in America, you have that first pick and the draft system. That’s also a way to create, for example, a more fairness or equal level playing field.”

Of course as part of one of the smaller teams in cycling's second division, this would benefit Tietema's squad, however he approaches this as a fan of cycling too. “A cap is maybe another way of making it more equal. But then you also get like... especially at this moment, you have teams who are really far above the rest and you have teams who are really... It's not the fault of the bigger teams because they are doing things right and they win a lot. But for the sport in general, you don't want it to become boring".

But there is a fine line between what can be termed impressive performances and races that simply do not carry the excitement and emotion, specially in such times where pro cycling has Tadej Pogacar contesting for the spot of best rider in the sport's history.

“It's a thin balance because on one hand you want to have heroes and you want to have people, characters. Therefore, you need to have riders who win more often than others. But then the moment when it starts to get boring, I think then that's too far.”

However the Dutchman knows it's unlikely that there will be big systematic changes implemented into the sport, and instead the team's dominance will run its natural course until it then moves to a different team.

“UAE smashed all records this year. But I still believe that in sports there will always be a new rider or someone else coming up. Even if you have people getting older, changes in management, there are so many reasons things can change. And there's always a new kid on the block," he argues. Could the likes of Paul Seixas and Jarno Widar provide this rivalry in a matter of a few years?

“For example, Ferrari dominated Formula One. It's really struggling the last years. It's not that long ago that Team Sky was winning every Tour de France and dominating every race. And this whole Sky Train was a thing. Right now, they are struggling.”

Unibet don't have the men yet to ambition that spot spot in the sport, but the growth is palpable, not only in terms of riders, but presence and budget in the peloton. “We didn’t start with a business case or a sponsor deck. We started with people who believed in what we were doing, and we built a team around that. It’s been a steep climb. Surrounding ourselves with people who know how to build a proper cycling team, that’s what made it possible.”

Now in 2026, the presence of Dylan Groenewegen, Wout Poels and Niklas Larsen could deliver some very interesting results for the team. "Dylan isn’t here for a paycheck. He wants to leave a legacy. And Wout’s not just a mentor, he can still win races," Tietema assures. "It’s not just about the World Tour. It’s about building the biggest fanbase in cycling. If we can change even a few per cent of how the sport connects with people, that’s already huge.”