Unibet Rose Rockets has succeeded in securing the maximum number of thirty riders for 2026. This fulfills a long-held wish, although it should not have come at any cost. The last two signings for 2026 are Frenchman Clément Venturini and Dutchman Martijn Rasenberg. Several sources have entrusted this news to WielerFlits.
Behind the scenes, The Rockets have been working in recent weeks to reach a roster of thirty riders. This way, they hope to perform as well as possible in all the races they enter. Last season, the team occasionally started races short-staffed due to undercapacity. Additionally, the team aims to have doubled its total UCI points from last year by the end of 2026. The squad is also in contention for a wildcard invitation to the upcoming Tour de France.
Venturini a strategic move
In this context, Clément Venturini is strategically a good signing in several respects. The 32-year-old Frenchman has already completed twelve seasons as a road pro, riding successively for Cofidis, AG2R La Mondiale, and in recent years for Arkéa-B&B Hotels. He has proven himself as a notorious points scorer, especially in Coupe de France one-day races and Belgian semi-classics. However, he is not a prolific winner, having secured only four professional victories in his career. He does have experience in grand tours, having completed all stages in each of his five participations.
Unibet Rose Rockets had approached him earlier with an offer, but Venturini initially declined—as we also reported previously in the WielerFlits Podcast. Later, we saw several interviews in which he revealed that finding a new team was a challenging process. Ultimately, Venturini and The Rockets reached an agreement. With him on board, the French squad with Dutch roots also secures year-round exposure. Venturini is currently the reigning French cyclo-cross champion, although it is unclear whether he will continue racing cyclo-cross this winter. The national cyclo-cross championships will be held on January 11.
Rasenberg as a strong rider
Alongside Venturini, Tietema, Josse Wester, and Devin van der Wiel, they also reinforce their squad with compatriot Martijn Rasenberg. The 24-year-old from North Brabant transfers from Parkhotel Valkenburg and signs as a neo-pro for at least two years. The young rider has earned his stripes over the past two seasons. After winning the Ronde van de Achterhoek in 2023 and last year’s Simac Omloop der Kempen (both UCI 1.2 races), he caught the attention of teams like Visma | Lease a Bike and even underwent a performance test at another WorldTeam.
Nonetheless, a move to the pros did not materialize last winter, but Rasenberg did not let that discourage him. He won this year’s Slag om Woensdrecht and was the best rider in the Luxembourg stage race, Flèche du Sud (UCI 2.2). He also featured in the finales of several national classics, earning a stagiaire role at Q36.5 Pro Cycling. Rasenberg was long considered for the final spot on the Swiss team around Tom Pidcock, until that team opted to complete their roster with experienced Irish sprinter Sam Bennett.
Half the team is new
Now the Dutchman claims that spot at Unibet Rose Rockets. According to our sources, they intend to deploy Rasenberg as an all-rounder and strong rider in service of the team. With the addition of these final two names, the French ProTeam is now complete for 2026. Tietema’s squad has undergone a transformation: while it became clear earlier that as many as ten riders would leave, fifteen (!) new names are joining. That’s half a team. The most notable new arrivals include Dylan Groenewegen, Wout Poels, Victor Lafay, and also Venturini.
Dylan Groenewegen will make the switch to Bas Tietema’s team this upcoming winter - photo: Unibet Tietema Rockets
