Picnic PostNL hits the transfer market with future in mind: Two promising British climbers make the move

O'Brien, 17, rode for Zappi Racing Team in recent years. He made a name for himself in French and Italian one-day races: for example, he finished third in the Classic Hautes-Alpes - Super Dévoluy, a climbing race with 2,600 meters of elevation gain, behind world champion Harry Hudson. “I’ve always admired Team Picnic PostNL,” he says on the website of his new team.

“From my first conversations it was clear this is the right environment to help me reach my full potential. Everything from the setup in Sittard, to the coaching and scientific approach is on a level I haven’t experienced before, and I’m excited to see where that can take me and how I can contribute to the team. I’d describe myself as a climber who loves the mountains, but I also enjoy animating races on rolling terrain and racing for GC in stage races.”

“My goal is to make the most of these development years, learn from the experienced staff, and hopefully grow into a WorldTour rider in the future who can play a key role in the team’s continued success. On the bike I’m detail-oriented and love the process of training and racing to get the best out of myself, and off the bike I like to think I bring a positive attitude.”

Fellow Dutchman Peace is a year older and has already made a name for himself among the juniors. He finished fourth in Liège-Bastogne-Liège for juniors and fifth at the World Championships in Rwanda last week. “What really drew me to Team Picnic PostNL is the development pathway they offer. The team has an excellent history of helping riders progress from the Development program to the Men’s program, and that really appealed to me.”

“I see myself as a GC rider who thrives in the mountains, enjoys stage racing, and can tackle Ardennes-style shorter climbs with energy. My goal is to progress through the Development program and, ultimately, reach the Men’s program to race some of the biggest events in the world,” Peace concludes.

Head coach Kemna sees O'Brien and Peace as future stars. “Finn is a climber with enormous potential, and we see a lot of room for growth in his abilities” he says of O'Brien. “So far, as he didn’t race internationally very often, but his performance data shows that he is a rider with real promise. In hillier races he will have the freedom to test himself, chase his own results.”

Peace also receives praise from the Dutchman. “Matthew is one of the most promising classification riders of his generation. We’ll work closely with him on technical skills like positioning, descending, and race craft, to complement his natural abilities. His role in the team is all about broad development: in the mountains he can race for his own chances and see how far he can go, while on the flatter courses he will support teammates and help position them.”