No Dutch ProTeam from 2025: TDT-Unibet becomes French and aims for the Tour!

Surprising news: the only Dutch ProTeam, Tour de Tietema-Unibet, will transition to a French license starting next season. "This change of nationality also contributes to our goal of participating in the Tour de France," the team stated in a press release.

The team's name will naturally be changed. From next year, they will be known as Unibet Tietema Rockets. The ambition is high: they aim to compete in the Tour de France, and for that, the team's identity must become more international. "We need to develop our riders' levels, attract more global partners, and tell our story in the best possible way," said team owner Bas Tietema. "Our goal is to be the most followed team by cycling fans worldwide. With the new Rockets identity, we are taking a significant step toward creating a sustainable organization and hopefully accelerating our growth as a team."

Betting company Unibet is stepping up as the main sponsor of the cycling team. "We are incredibly proud of the team's development and how they have worked toward our shared goal of the Tour de France. The team has enormous potential and has already proven capable of rapid development," said Neil Banbury, Head of Commercial and Marketing at Kindred Group. "From the beginning, their ambition, entrepreneurial spirit, and the way they present themselves have been inspiring and refreshing for the sport. We can’t wait to see the Rockets in action and grow to the next level."

"Every cycling team starts with that one dream: the Tour de France," said Tietema. "We have worked toward that dream for a long time and have likely already exceeded many expectations. We are very proud of our development so far, and now we are taking a significant step toward making those dreams come true." For the upcoming season, the team has four French riders under contract: Axel Huens, Baptiste Huyet, Adrien Marie, and Killian Verschuren. The Dutch contingent has been strengthened with three riders, including Hartthijs de Vries, Jelle Johannink, Kevin Inkelaar, and Wessel Mouris.