Picnic PostNL Works on Signing Frits Biesterbos
Youri IJnsen
Picnic PostNL hopes to complete its 2026 roster with Frits Biesterbos. The 23-year-old rider from Apeldoorn was still an amateur until August 2024, having originally focused on mountain biking. This year, he made a name for himself with the continental BEAT Cycling team. The Dutch WorldTeam is now eager to sign him, multiple sources confided to WielerFlits.
Biesterbos started his cycling career as a mountain biker. Last year, he twice finished in the top 10 in U23 World Cup Short Track races and once took eighth place in the Nové Mesto World Cup for U23 riders in the Olympic discipline of Cross Country. He also tasted victory on the road last year when he won the Raboronde van Bolsward in Friesland. Additionally, he placed sixth in the Bergomloop Simpelveld, one of the toughest races on the national circuit. From August 8, 2024, he raced for BEAT Cycling.
He earned a contract for 2025 with the Dutch squad managed by Thijs Zonneveld. Biesterbos started with two second places in Slovenian one-day races and a thirteenth place in the Volta NXT Classic. During the summer—while the Tour de France was underway—he also delivered a few strong results in the Sibiu Tour. In the fall, he again put in a series of strong performances, especially in Belgian one-day classics. He finished among the top 23 in all six races before the NIBC Tour of Holland, with a tenth place in the Slag om Norg as his best result.
Gravel World Championship as a springboard
Overall, these results would not normally be enough to secure a contract at WorldTour level. He mainly impressed in another discipline. At the end of May, he competed for victory in the 3RIDES Gravel Race (UCI World Gravel Series) and ultimately finished fourth. In late September, he became Dutch Gravel Champion, going solo past pro road riders Tibor Del Grosso, Joren Bloem, and Mike Teunissen. To top it off, Biesterbos took second place at the Gravel World Championships behind WorldTour rider Florian Vermeersch and ahead of Slovenian Matej Mohorič.
Because of that performance, his phone was ringing off the hook in the days after, he told WielerFlits during the NIBC Tour of Holland. “I’m very new to road cycling, so I still have a lot to learn,” Biesterbos said at the time. “I want to find a place where I can keep learning, where I get good guidance. I am still making mistakes at BEAT Cycling. There has to be room for that. Technically, I have a solid foundation, but tactically I definitely need to develop more.” Picnic PostNL seems ready to answer that call, signing him as their 29th and final rider for 2026.
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