Unibet is becoming the first title sponsor of the Tour de Tietema-Unibet cycling team in 2025.
Marking a significant step in their pursuit of one day riding the Tour de France, the new multi-year agreement will see the team race under a French licence in 2025 and become Unibet Tietema Rockets.
They become the first team in professional cycling with a ‘franchise’ name, and hope to kick on from riding their first WorldTour events at Amstel Gold Race and the Renewi Tour in 2024.
The project is run by former pro rider now YouTuber Bas Tietema, alongside business partners Josse Wester and Devin van der Wiel.
Tietema said on X: “It feels like yesterday that Devin, Josse and I started this project of creating our own cycling team. We had nothing, just our dreams and vision and gathered partners and people around who also believed in those dreams.”
The team has also just announced that it has successfully changed its nationality from Dutch to French.
“After two very successful years for the TDT-Unibet ProTeam, the UCI ProTeam will continue as the Unibet Tietema Rockets,” added the PRT level team through a statement on its website.
“With Unibet stepping up as the first naming partner of the team in a new multi-year agreement, the Unibet Tietema Rockets will become the first team in professional cycling with a franchise name. This development marks a huge step in the team’s ambitions towards its first Tour de France participation.”
Meanwhile, Tietema emphasised how every cycling team starts out with ‘that one dream’ – competing in the Tour de France.
He concluded: “We have been working towards that dream for a long time and probably exceeded the expectations of many already. We are very proud of the development so far and now we’re taking a big step towards realising those dreams.”