‘I still love suffering in the mountains’ – veteran Dutch climber Wout Poels signs for likely final season of career with Unibet Rose Rockets

Veteran Dutch climber Wout Poels (XDS-Astana) is set to join the fast-growing Unibet Rose Rockets squad in 2026, strengthening the Pro team’s mountains firepower in what is likely the final year of his career.

Poels, 38, has had a stellar career of success in the mountains, stretching from a victory on Spain’s hardest ascent, the Angliru, back in the 2011 Vuelta, through wins at the 2016 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège – at the time, the long-sought first Monument for Team Sky – and a stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné to a triumph in the Tour de France in 2023. His most recent win was a stage and the overall in the 2025 Tour of Turkiye.

His move mirrors that of another top Dutch veteran, Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-AlUla), to the same squad, to strengthen their options in the sprints in 2026.

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A former racer with Sky, Bahrain Victorious and Vancansoleil amongst others, Poels said in a team press release that despite his career kicking off way back in 2009, he’s still feeling that he is motivated to continue racing for another season.

“I’m not here to wind things down. I’m here to give everything I’ve got for one more full season. I still love racing, I still love suffering in the mountains, and I still get that same fire when the road goes uphill,” said Poels.

“The Rockets’ energy is exactly what I was looking for: one more year to go all-in and enjoy this sport at the highest level.”

“Wout didn’t join us to take it easy. From the first talk, it was clear he wanted to go all-in, not just show up for one last lap. That mentality fits us perfectly,” added team owner Bas Tietema.

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For the Pro Team formed in 2023, Poels and Groenewegen – also a repeat Grand Tour winner – both fit in the same goal of building towards a first-ever participation in the Tour de France. At the same time, the idea is they will provide Unibet with experienced, successful figures both as leaders in their own right and as team captains who can help their younger riders find their feet in the sport.