"We don't get riders of that caliber every year" - Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert praised by French cyclocross specialist

Clément Venturini saw the risk of his career coming to an end increase throughout the past few months. The French rider has long raced for Arkéa - B&B Hotels where he hoped to end his career, but with the team coming to a close this year, he had to change plans. After some consideration, he has signed with Unibet Rose Rockets for 2026, and has talked about the big changes at hand; as well as Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert who he has battled with in the past in cyclocross.

Despite being a top performer and strong UCI point scorer, not many teams reached out to him although all knew of the end of the French team for months already. At age 32 he is still well within his best years, and his results have seemingly improved over the past few years. For this reason, he was not ready to end his career this winter.

"It's mainly that I hadn't prepared for the end of my career in 2026 at all. I still saw myself as a rider, I really hoped that Arkéa would continue so I could finish my career with them," he admits in words to Cyclism'Actu. "That's more or less what I talked about with Manu (Emmanuel Hubert, Arkéa's former manager, ed.). We know how it ended, the way nobody wanted it". He often discussed his contract situation throughout the winter, but in the last few weeks he's trained with Unibet Rose Rockets in Spain and understood that it was the logical choice for the continuation of his stay in the peloton.

"I had a lot of soul-searching this winter. Unibet was one of the first teams to offer me an interview, a video call, and a contract offer for 2026. Initially, I wasn't ready," he describes. "At that time, there were things weighing me down. I was focusing more on the negative than the positive. Months went by, lots of discussions, lots of soul-searching. Finally, I signed with them, and I don't regret my choice at all after spending a week with the team".

The team is French in license, but not in culture - its owners Dutch, and the team's priority also having been the Dutch riders in the transfer season. But with the quality of its signings (including Dylan Groenewegen, Victor Lafay, Wout Poels and more) and the team's popularity, the team could have a wildcard for the Tour de France. There is room to grow too.

"Yes, it's especially about going beyond the Tour de France; it won't stop there. It's a team full of ambition, motivation, and a desire to grow. Being part of this project is always enriching. We also want to do our bit, contribute to its success. That's all the more motivating for me right now".

Venturini is also going to have to settle for a different environment, as for the first time in his career, he will have to be in a team where French isn't the general language. "I almost feel like it'll give me a boost, it's also taking me out of my comfort zone. I've never spoken English within the team, so I have to integrate. Even though it's a French team, we know very well that it's more of a foreign team. I don't mind that at all; I'm even happy to be stepping off the beaten path".

A cyclocross specialist, former national champion and Top5 World Championships finisher, he could also offer a lot from 2027 onwards as points in the discipline aid the road teams' tally. This winter he isn't racing in the discipline, but nevertheless has insight on Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert.

"They are riders I've known since I was fourteen or fifteen, in the cadet and junior categories," he tells. "Wout and Mathieu are a year or two apart in age. They are simply exceptional talents, the kind that come along only a few times in each generation. For me, it would have been a chance to race against them. We don't get riders of that caliber every year".

On this specific winter, he has said the following regarding the two: "I think Wout will also have a rather lighter schedule. It's more Mathieu who's putting in a lot of work. Without being selfish, when I go cycling, it's not to be a spectator either. Just because I'm racing with them doesn't mean I'm going to ask them for an autograph".