Unibet Tietema Rockets will race their first Monument in 2025, introduced on Monday as one of the vital groups invited to Paris-Roubaix as a wildcard along Tom Pidcock’s new group Q36.5, Tudor and TotalEnergies.
Whilst sooner or later racing the Excursion de France stays the long-term objective for the group run by way of former professional rider grew to become a success YouTuber Bas Tietema, along industry companions Josse Wester and Devin van der Wiel, Roubaix is a big step in the precise path additionally serving as their first ASO race.
“Receiving this wildcard is a dream come true for our team,” mentioned Tietema in a press unencumber. “Paris-Roubaix is a race with a rich history and immense challenges, and we are ready to embrace them with full dedication and ambition.
“We’ve been construction in opposition to this second for the previous years, and it is unbelievable to peer our efforts identified by way of essentially the most iconic one-day race of the calendar.”
Tietema himself has a history with the Monument and pavé or Northern France, having finished third in the under-23 event – Paris-Roubaix Espoirs – back in 2014 as Mike Teunissen took the victory.
Years later, after ending his racing career and then coming back with Bingoal Pauwels Sauces WB for the 2022 season after building his YouTube channel, Tietema was the last rider to arrive at the fabled Roubaix Velodrome, more than one hour after winner Dylan van Baarle and outside the time limit.
“The cobbles of Roubaix are unforgiving, however we will be able to be ready mentally and bodily to stand them,” said Tietema.
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“As we depend all the way down to race day, we stay dedicated to our challenge: to encourage, push limits, and produce an electrifying power to the peloton. Driving Paris-Roubaix shall be one of the vital hardest but maximum rewarding moments in their lives. The street to Roubaix shall be tricky, however we’re in a position to trip it with choice and fervour.”
The offseason saw a change in name to Unibet Tietema Rockets and UCI licence, now riding as a French team to help achieve that dream of the Tour going forward. 2025 will be their second season at ProTeam level after starting out at the Continental level two years prior.
Tietema’s team rode their first WorldTour event last season at the Amstel Gold Race, even featuring in the breakaway through Brit Zeb Kyffin In 2025, they’ll also debut at the WorldTour-level Omloop Het Nieuwsblad one-day race in March ahead of their maiden appearance at the Hell of the North.
Also taking the start of the men’s Paris-Roubaix in 2025 will be the three highest-ranked ProTeams, Lotto, Israel-Premier Tech and Uno-X Mobility, and the 18 WorldTour teams.
Beginning the ladies’s race shall be all 15 Ladies’s WorldTour groups, along the six new ProTeams, EF Schooling-Oatly, Cofidis, Arkéa B&B Motels, Winspace Orange Seal, St Michel – Desire House – Auber93, VolkerWessels and 3 extra invited groups from the Conti degree, Lotto, Coop-Repsol and DD Workforce.
