Rockets ignite future plans with Groenewegen transfer
Groenewegen is currently riding for the WorldTour team Jayco-AlUla. He will be joined by his trusted companion Elmar Reinders, adding even more WorldTour experience to our sprint group. Reinders assisted Groenewegen in the last three editions of the Tour de France.
Team owner Bas Tietema is thrilled with the news: “Signing Dylan marks a huge step forward for our project. We want to inspire people by showing what’s possible when you dream big, having a proven winner like Dylan on board shows we’re serious about taking this team to the next level. With Elmar alongside him, we’re ready to chase our ambitious goals: being competitive in Grand Tours and win on WorldTour level.”
Belief in our project
“For us, it was never just about signing a big name”, says Tietema. “It was about finding someone who truly believes in what we're building here and is able to bring that to a higher level. From our very first talks with Dylan, it was clear he understood our vision and wanted to be part of this project. His hunger to win, combined with his belief in our vision, makes him the perfect fit for where we want to go as a team.”
Dylan Groenewegen shares his excitement: “From the first talks with team owner Josse Wester, I felt the energy and the vision. I love the way the Rockets dare to do things differently, and I believe in their plan to build something special. I’m excited to be a part of this journey and I can’t wait to win races together. Of course I want to win races myself, but I also look forward to helping my teammates grow and get better every day.”
Groenewegen continues: “Earlier in my career, I was part of a team that was still building towards the top. Back then at Jumbo-Visma, not everything was perfect yet, but looking back, those were probably the years I enjoyed the most in my career. There’s something special about being part of a project that’s growing and fighting to prove itself every day. I see that same energy and ambition at Unibet Tietema Rockets, working towards the big goal of riding the Tour de France. I can’t wait to help write the next chapter together.”
How the Rockets Took Off
Unibet Tietema Rockets was born out of the passion and vision of Bas Tietema, Devin van der Wiel and Josse Wester, who started capturing the cycling world’s attention through their popular Tour de Tietema YouTube channel. What started as a creative way to bring fans closer to the sport quickly evolved into something bigger: they launched a professional cycling team built around the idea of making the sport more open, inspiring and entertaining.
Since its launch in 2023, the team has grown step by step. From racing on the third level of international cycling as a Continental team in 2023, to earning the ProTeam status in 2024 and their debut on the WorldTour level during the Amstel Gold Race. In 2025, the team moved to France as part of their international growth and participated in its first Monument, Paris-Roubaix. The Rockets have combined a fresh media approach and their own franchise name with ambitious sporting goals, bringing new fans into the sport whilst showing they can compete with the biggest teams in the peloton.
Today, Unibet Tietema Rockets is ranked 26th on the UCI ranking and continues to build towards the dream of competing with the very best, both on the road and online.
How we signed Dylan Groenewegen
Fans can watch the full story behind this landmark signing of Dylan Groenewegen - from the first contact to the moment Dylan and Elmar put pen to paper - in the latest YouTube video. It’s the fifth episode of the documentary series We Are The Rockets, which is now live on the Rockets YouTube channel.
