Picnic PostNL has been working hard in recent weeks to sign Frits Biesterbos. They have succeeded. The former mountain biker has signed a contract as a neo-pro for at least two years with the Dutch WorldTeam. The contract is awaiting approval from the UCI, but that is usually a formality. Sources have confirmed this to WielerFlits.
Biesterbos comes from mountain biking and only made the definitive switch to road cycling in the summer of 2024. Last year, he rode his first full season on the road with Continental team BEAT Cycling. He performed quite creditably. Earlier this year, his management had already held talks with several pro teams to give Biesterbos a chance in 2027. But when the 23-year-old rider from Apeldoorn finished second at the Gravel World Championships in mid-October, interest in him accelerated rapidly.
This past weekend, it was already reported on WielerFlits that Picnic PostNL was working on acquiring Biesterbos. During the NIBC Tour of Holland, the rider himself said he no longer expected to sign a pro contract for 2026 in the current market, but now he has succeeded. Biesterbos wanted to join a team where he would be allowed to keep making mistakes because tactically—due to his mountain biking background—he still has a lot to learn. He can get that chance at Picnic PostNL.
Not expected
"I hadn't thought beforehand that I would need only one year at BEAT Cycling to earn a contract in the WorldTour," Biesterbos himself says in the BEAT podcast. "Secretly, you hope for what is possible. Two years ago, I trained very hard with Jelte Krijnsen in Spain. That has, of course, become a great success story, how he made the step to Continental level within one year. You know it's possible, but I didn't expect it to happen for me."
With the arrival of Biesterbos, Picnic PostNL is ready for 2026. Last Friday, they themselves announced the transfers of Mattia Garuffi and Henri-François Renard-Haquin. You could already read about the latter and the arrival of Timo de Jong earlier on WielerFlits. Biesterbos is the 29th and final rider for Picnic PostNL for the upcoming season. In the short term, the team will announce the arrivals of De Jong, Biesterbos, and Alexy Faure-Prost (21). The French stage race talent is transferring from Intermarché-Wanty.
