"You should never say never" - Bas Tietema dismisses rumours of negotiations with Primoz Roglic... at least for now
CyclingThursday, 03 September 2026 at 03:00
Primoz Roglic has become quite the hot property on the transfer market with several teams reportedly interested in signing the Slovenian climber for the 2027 season. Among them are NSN Cycling Team, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling and Lotto-Intermarché. But what about Unibet Rose Rockets? Bas Tietema doesn't close doors when faced with such option.
Every year since its foundation in 2023, Bas Tietema's team had been growing exponentially with regards to its roster quality, going from a modest continental lineup three years ago to a top-5 ProTeam they're now.
Of course, the Rockets' bold recruitment strategies have not always paid off (e.g. Victor Lafay who might not race at all in 2026), but they've made some extremely successful decisions too. Probably the most obvious being the signing of Slovakian champion Lukas Kubis.
But just as important was the marquee signing of their first real star rider with Dylan Groenewegen. Perhaps already written off by some, the Dutch sprinter rose to four victories in 2026 and brought 1,334 UCI points towards the team ranking where Rockets currently reside in 21st position as the fourth-best ProTeam.
"Right now, we have to let big teams like Tudor, Cofidis, and Pinarello Q36.5 pass us. A spot in the top 3 is our goal, but a fourth-place finish doesn’t mean our season has been a failure. We’re 1,000 points behind Cofidis, and we’ve already doubled our points total compared to last year. I think it’s very difficult because the competition is so fierce,” said team owner Bas Tietema on VeloFuté.
Dylan Groenewegen wins Tour of Bruges
No longer underestimated
And their outstanding growth as a team did not go unnoticed in the cycling world. Suddenly, the "funny Youtube team" has grown to be a serious player on the market, and many high-profile riders view the Dutch/French formation as a serious career option for 2027.
"I can clearly see that the perception of our team has changed; agents and some riders are approaching us because they’ve seen us compete in Grand Tours or World Tour races. It will certainly be a different situation for us than in previous years," said Tietema.
The conversation quickly leads to the topic of the current second place at Vuelta a Espana - Primoz Roglic. And even though the idea of signing a five-time Grand Tour winner appeals to Tietema, the Dutchman quickly admits that such a massive transfer is not on the table at the moment.
"Is that realistic, and is it actually being discussed right now? No. But you should never say never," said Tietema. "We can’t do everything, but if we get the chance and a rider like Primoz sees us as an option, why not?"
The path Rockets believe in
Finally, Tietema outlines that the team is not particularly searching to sign a big name, preferring to stick to their original target of helping talented riders develop to reach their full potential.
Read also
"We don’t sign top riders just because they have a big name or represent a great opportunity; we sign them because we truly believe we can help them reach a high level—or the highest level. So it’s not as if we focus exclusively on the big names."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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