Lukas Kubis has made an impressive start to 2025 with a
string of strong results for
Bas Tietema’s Unibet Tietema Rockets. The Slovakian
rider has wasted no time in making an impact for his new team,
and IDLProCycling
recently caught up with him to discuss his journey so far.
"It was the first professional team that contacted me.
That must have been in April or May. Bas contacted me, and from that moment on,
you automatically start having contract discussions and things like that,"
Kubis revealed.
His performances have already turned heads, with a fifth
place in the Tour de la Provence, followed by top ten finishes in Omloop Het
Nieuwsblad, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and Le Samyn.
Reflecting on his early success, Kubis shared, "I'm
certainly happy with that and how we race. We are super active throughout the
entire race," giving credit to his teammates for their support.
Despite his strong results, Kubis remains ambitious, "Did
I surprise myself? It worked out perfectly. My form is perfect, and I must say
that the performance department of the team did an outstanding job this winter.
"All the guys are ready; we have seen that now. I am
very proud. After my sixth place in the Omloop, I was even slightly
disappointed because I missed the podium. But about an hour after the race,
everything calmed down, and I was quite happy."
Making an immediate impact at WorldTour level, the 25-year-old
is determined to keep improving.
"It was my first WorldTour race and I immediately
finished in the top ten," he continued. "Peter finished second twice
and won Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. So, I still have a long way to go. We finished
sixth, but I want to do better. Sixth place is good, but I want more: the
podium or a win. In time, of course."
Racing for a ProTeam against WorldTour opposition, Kubis has
shown he can handle both the Flemish climbs and final sprints, "Sometimes
it is difficult because the WorldTour teams set up their trains. However, I
have no problem doing it myself: I think I'm pretty good at it, although I must
say that my teammates have also helped me a lot."
The Slovakian is thriving in his new environment and remains
grateful for the opportunity, "I am overjoyed to be here and extremely
proud of the team. The mood is so nice; everyone is so friendly.
“And I am also grateful for the opportunities I have been
given," he said. "When we discussed, they said they wanted to go to
the Tour de France. I said: okay, I want that too. Let's do it together."