Cycling: A little change every year. In keeping with this motto, the squad of the dsm-unternehmenich PostNL team is also changing a lot this winter. After a mixed season, the athletic directors once again have to accept high fluctuation. Can things really get better in 2024?
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dsm-unternehmenich: Only 11 wins this season in 2023
The Dutch team dsm-unternehmenich was only able to achieve eleven victories in the 2023 season. Unlike numerous other WorldTour teams, many successes have actually been achieved in the highest class. Almost half - namely 5 in number - were celebrated in the WorldTour. It all started right at the beginning of the year Marius Mayrhofer. The German won the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race at the end of January, celebrating the first professional victory of his career. The Italian Alberto Dainese won a section of the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. Because, thanks to the weather conditions and the darkness towards the end of the opening stage in Spain, with a bit of luck they also won the team time trial, dsm-unternehmenich can even look forward to two stage victories in the Tour of Spain. The Australian Sam Welsford completes the list of victories within the WorldTour with his stage win on the Renewi Tour. The most experienced riders could be classified drivers Romain Bardet and the boy Max Poole convince. Together, the Frenchman and the Brit achieved several top 10 results. However, the big hit did not succeed.
Many young drivers are leaving the team again
With 12 departures and 10 additions, the dsm-unternehmenich PostNL team does not necessarily have to live with a higher fluctuation than other teams this winter. However, if we take a closer look at the transfers, there is definitely reason for concern. The Dutch team loses, among other things Alberto Dainese, Marius Mayrhofer and Sam Welsford namely all those riders who have achieved stage victories at the WorldTour level. Plus, they lose too Andreas Leknessund the professional who not only wore the pink jersey for days at the Giro d’Italia, but also achieved the best GC result of a Grand Tour with 8th place. With it Marco Brenner, Jonas Hvideberg, Henri Vandenabeele, Lorenzo Milesi and Leon Heinske In addition, 5 professionals who are a maximum of 24 years old are leaving, the transfer balance on the side to be handed over looks extremely dramatic. And this is not an isolated case. If we look at the past few years, we see that time and again young, aspiring riders become WorldTour professionals at dsm, but then want to leave the team.
2024: dsm-unternehmenich PostNL brings 10 new ones
Due to the numerous departures, the dsm-unternehmenich PostNL squad obviously needs to be increased accordingly. With Fabio Jacobsen A top sprinter will be signed who did not find his usual form in 2023, but will now replace the many sprinters who have been given up in his new team. He could be supported in his hunt for stage victories, among other things, by the other newcomers Timo Roosen, Emils Liepins, Bram Welten and Julius van den Berg. Returnees are more likely to be planned for the mountains Warren Barguil and Gijs Leemreize, who is hoping for more freedom after moving from Jumbo – Visma to dsm-unternehmenich PostNL. The two Dutchmen were brought up from the development team dsm-unternehmenich Frank van den Broek and Enzo Leijnse, as well as the Australian Patrick Eddie. Overall, it is difficult to imagine that the team in 2024 will perform as well or even better than last season. The squad didn't necessarily get any younger, but at the same time it didn't get any better either. The sports management must trust that every driver can achieve their maximum performance potential.