Unibet Rose Rockets name their squad to support Groenewegen's sprint goals at the Giro d'Italia

The news that Unibet Rose Rockets would not be going to the Tour de France landed like a bombshell. That disappointment quickly turned to celebration, though, when a wildcard for the Giro d'Italia was secured. Just over a week before the start in Bulgaria, Bas Tietema's team have named their squad — with a pink dream on the very first stage.

It has been a remarkable journey. "What started in 2021 as a bold idea and a dream has led us to the start of one of the greatest races in cycling," the team said in their announcement video. "Three weeks. 21 stages. One mission. We are not here just to participate. We are here to race, to entertain, and above all: to win a stage. The Rockets are ready to make history."

That ambition starts from stage one. The Giro opens not in Italy but in Bulgaria, with a relatively flat road stage — which makes it no surprise that the in-form Dylan Groenewegen is named as the team's leading man. "Our sprint leader and our biggest weapon. With multiple wins at the highest level, Dylan will target the flat stages — and potentially the iconic pink jersey on the opening day."

That mission requires a strong sprint train. Elmar Reinders is the natural choice to anchor it. The Dutchman has long been inseparable from Groenewegen and will be his key lead-out man. But he will not be alone — Karsten Feldmann is described by the team as "a crucial part of the train." The Norwegian, the youngest rider in the selection, earns his place for exactly that reason.

Other men who will go along in support of Groenewegen, but can also go for their own chances, are time trialist Niklas Larsen and Tomas Kopecky. Slovak Lukas Kubis will be present for the trickier stages where a select group can compete for the win. Hartthijs de Vries is also there: he was the first rider in the selection when the team was formed in 2023, and will make his debut in a major tour.

The last name on paper should also come as no surprise. Wout Poels will take part in his fifth Giro d'Italia. The 38-year-old veteran has already won stages in the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, but would love to complete the trilogy in Italy. The climber may be in his final year but will give everything to get something nice out of the race.

'TO THE TOUR AND BEYOND'

That's how the About Us page starts on the Rockets website. According to their founder and leader, former pro Bas Tietema, "The Unibet Rose Rockets are a group of passionate riders and creators aiming to shake up the traditional world of cycling. With backgrounds as content creators, weekend warriors, and elite riders, our team brings an unconventional spirit to the peloton. We’re here to push boundaries, chase results, and tell authentic stories along the way."

The Rockets started life as 'Tour de Tietema', a content creation vehicle and successful Youtube channel for founder Bas and a few other riders. However as the channel and following grew, so do their ambition. Playing the 'wildcard' role to it's full potential, the Rockets have been a breath of fresh air in the peloton, earning entries to the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, and Milan-Sanremo.

And results have followed the growth. With genuine WorldTour fast man Dylan Groenewegen at the helm, the Dutch UCI ProTeam won three majot races in 2026, including the Tour of Bruges. While they may not have got to the Tour yet, entry into the 2026 Giro d'Italia is by far the biggest step on the Rocket's journey so far. If things go well for them, you expect Tietema and his up-start team to get a call from the Tour in 2027.