Interest grew, but European Championship stunt Larsen had already opted for Unibet Tietema Rockets: "Am I good on YouTube?"
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Follow us on GoogleUnibet Tietema Rockets will undoubtedly have looked at the podium photo from the European Time Trial Championships in the Ardèche with great satisfaction. Next to winner Remco Evenepoel and a disappointed Filippo Ganna in second place, Niklas Larsen stood on the third step of the podium. The 28-year-old Dane recently signed a contract with Unibet Tietema Rockets, and they seem to have really hit the jackpot.
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If you had never heard of Larsen before 2025, don't be ashamed. In recent years, he has mainly used his powerful legs on the track. He won gold with the Danish team pursuit team at the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, as well as at this year's European Championships in Heusden-Zolder. In 2016, he also became European champion in the points race, and he holds several other medals to his name.
On the road, Larsen rode for a long time at club and continental level as a young talent, until the Norwegian team Uno-X signed him in 2020. That was after he had surprisingly won the Tour of Denmark in 2019 on behalf of ColoQuick. The adventure at Uno-X did not start very well, as Larsen broke his ankle during the offseason while dancing.
The road also brought him little joy in the years that followed, so after 2024, he terminated his contract with Uno-X, and Larsen was forced to take a step back to the continental BHS-PL Beton Bornholm. There, he really broke through in 2025 with an overall victory in the Tour du Loir et Cher, second place in the Tour of Estonia and Kreiz Breizh Elites, and third place in a highly competitive Tour of Denmark.
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Niklas Larsen surprises himself with bronze medal at European Time Trial Championships
The transfer to Unibet Tietema Rockets was a logical step, but even there, they could not have predicted that Larsen would finish third in the European Time Trial Championships on Wednesday, ahead of British time trial stars Joshua Tarling and Ethan Hayter. “I didn't expect this at all. Yesterday I spoke to the Danish media and said I would be pleased with a top ten finish,” he told Eurosport.
He spoke of “an excellent road season,” partly due to that step back to the continental level. At Unibet Tietema Rockets, he dreams of more. “I've also shown myself on more difficult terrain. It shouldn't be too difficult, because I'm not a climber, of course. You have to be a bit lighter for that, but I do well in difficult races. Hopefully, I can continue to develop myself there.”
The European Championships proved that Larsen can aim very high with thorough preparation. When he talked to IDLProCycling.com, he discussed his preparation: "I trained very specifically for the time trial, with many hours, aero tests, and in the last two months leading up to this European Championship, I was only focused on this time trial. I also found equipment that works well for me."
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A good winter helped Larsen make his breakthrough on the road
However, the key to Larsen's success was not in the weeks leading up to the European Championships, but in the past winter. “I had a good winter, during which I finally stayed healthy and was able to train a lot. I raced a lot and remained free of illness and injury for the first time in my career. If you can perform at a high level for so long, the season will go well.”
At Unibet Tietema Rockets, he aims to develop his time trial skills further. Will he improve in terms of support at Bas Tietema's ambitious team? "I don't know yet, we'll have to see. With hard work, a lot is possible anyway, provided you're willing to put in the hours and look for the little things. You have to use your time wisely, then you can achieve a lot very quickly."
"Maybe I can teach them something," he said with a laugh, but of course, there was some truth in his comment. "But on the other hand, I've noticed from our conversations that they are already doing a lot of work in this area. They want to improve constantly, so that's very promising. I think this is the right step for me, and I'm very curious to see where it will lead."
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Other teams also showed interest in Larsen
To outsiders, it may seem strange: the number three in the European time trial championships signing with a pro-continental team? Were there no WorldTour teams interested in his services? “Not many other teams were interested; that only came when the big results came in the second half of the season,” Larsen said.
“The thing with Unibet is that they showed interest very early on. We had numerous conversations, and this season has proven to me that if people believe in you and you find an environment where you can thrive, you will feel at home there. That's one of the reasons I signed with Unibet Tietema Rockets.”
Crucial final question: Is Larsen good on YouTube? “Haha, I guess we'll see and find out!”
Bram van der Ploeg ( Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email : [email protected])
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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