"Unibet will close the gap within a few years": Former Rockets rider confident Bas Tietema's team will reach WorldTour level in a moment

It's been hard to stay ignorant towards Unibet Rose Rockets this spring season with high-level performers such as Niklas Larsen, Matyas Kopecky and of course Dylan Groenewegen in sprints. And the French-Dutch team could've been even stronger if not for the departure of Axel Huens last winter. The 24-year-old rose rapidly through the ranks of Groupama - FDJ United to be granted a free role already in his debut season at WorldTour level. And the young Frenchman certainly did not let down his bosses with regular top-25 results, inculding a 23rd spot at the coveted Tour of Flanders.

Considering that Huens raced around in an amateur outfit Dunkerque Grand Littoral Cyclisme back in 2022, his rise has been tremendous. With his talent first identified at Circus-ReUz-Technord, Intermarché-Wanty's then development team, Huens quickly grasped the opportunity he's been presented in his last season as under-23 cyclist and secured a promotion through Unibet Rose Rockets to Groupama - FDJ United.

Most incredibly, it appears as though the young cyclist still hasn't found his limit with the new employer. Huens kicked off the season with top-10s in Besseges and later UAE Tour. But that would turn out to be just an intermezzo to an excellent classics campaign with 7th at GP de Denain, 12th at In Flanders Fields and 16th at Dwars door Vlaanderen, before a much-awaited culmination at Paris-Roubaix.

"Everything is going well," the Frenchman declared with a broad smile on his face in an interview with In De Leiderstrui. "I am happy with my transfer. Everything is going well at Groupama. I have a program that has expanded significantly in terms of WorldTour races and all the classics. That is really why I came to the team. I am very happy."

Having joined from then average ProTeam, there is certainly a difference to be now with Groupama. "Compared to last year, definitely."

However Unibet have not been stagnating either and have taken steps in the right direction too: "When I see how the Unibet Rose Rockets team is developing… I think they are really closing the gap to the WorldTour teams," Huens notices.

The Frenchman had words of praise for Tietema's team in any case. "I really have nothing bad to say about Unibet. I was very happy there. I got a great opportunity to ride for Groupama; as a Frenchman, that is always special. I think the Unibet team is really growing and that seems like it will never stop. I think they will have closed the gap within a few years."

But that's in past. Everything revolves around his season with Groupama - FDJ United at the moment. "Everything is going well physically," Huens indicated during the Tour of Bruges. The following weeks have been rather successful with Huens often in the thick of action alongside the world's best cyclists.

Now the main focus is on Paris-Roubaix, where Huens makes a debut this weekend. And rather than finishing, Huens puts ambitious goals for himself. "The goal is to go full throttle all the way to Roubaix," he added, after which the Frenchman also indicated that the Hell of the North in particular can be quite an open race. "I am in good physical condition, so I really hope to be able to achieve a result," he said hopefully.