Will the gifts start rolling in at DSM-firmenich? PostNL teams up with the Dutch cycling team and boosts the budget

The decision is final: PostNL becomes the new co-sponsor of DSM-firmenich. This is confirmed by the Dutch cycling team on Thursday morning via a press release. Already on Wednesday, news circulated that both Dutch companies would join forces for three years, and now this news is officially confirmed.

The team will be transformed into Team DSM-firmenich PostNL. Team manager Iwan Spekenbrink is thrilled with the new sponsor. "With PostNL, our team will connect with a great brand. Together we are committed to success and building a healthy future, both on and off the bike. In this way, PostNL strengthens our team as a knowledge partner of sustainable logistic solutions. PostNL and DSM-firmenich give the team, along with the other premium partners, a solid basis for the coming years for growth and opportunities. It's fantastic for the team to now have two such large and renowned companies as leading partners of the team."

With PostNL's involvement, the colors of the DSM-firmenich jersey are completely revamped. The traditional black and blue jersey with white accents will be replaced by a new design featuring white and blue, accented with the distinctive orange of the Dutch courier company. DSM and firmenich, which merged in 2023 and have since served as one company as the main sponsor, are thus strengthened with a second strong name. PostNL is a household name in the Netherlands, and according to reports, the company has been looking for a project in sports for a while. With PostNL, team manager Iwan Spekenbrink brings the budget to "the left column". "For Spekenbrink, this probably means the biggest budget for his team since its inception," as previously reported.

DSM-firmenich was mostly a talent pool in recent years

In recent years, DSM-firmenich had become primarily a pool of young talents, with big stars often leaving for larger teams in the WorldTour. Tom Dumoulin and Sam Oomen moved to Jumbo-Visma, Wilco Kelderman and Lennard Kämna to BORA-hansgrohe, and Ilan Van Wilder chose Soudal-Quick Step. With young cycling talent, DSM-firmenich embarked on a new path, always trying to seize opportunities when they arose. As a result, big names like Romain Bardet and John Degenkolb are currently riding for the team, and Warren Barguil is set to return to his old team in 2024.

However, the biggest transfer this winter is that of Fabio Jakobsen, with whom DSM-firmenich hopes to be competitive in sprints again, as was the case in the heyday with Marcel Kittel. With PostNL, a large company in the Netherlands and Belgium, there will normally be more focus on Dutch and Belgian cycling talent. Also, the orange of the postal company will appear in the 2024 uniform.