In traditional Unibet Rose Rockets style, today’s signing announcement came in form of an interesting video. After a teaser, in which the French team dropped hints about the upcoming transfer, it has been confirmed: Rory Townsend, Irish national champion, is making the move over to add even more firepower to an ever-evolving lineup.The move had been rumoured in recent days, as a contract renewal with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team hadn’t materialized. A surprising outcome, taking into consideration the team has signed both Sam Bennett and Eddie Dunbar, compatriots of Townsend, and the Irishman did deliver the team’s first and only World Tour victory in their history.
Townsend is not an unknown in the pro peloton, at age 30 he’s been around for over a decade as a professional rider, but most of his time has been spent in Continental teams. In 2023 he moved over to Bolton Equities Black Spoke, winning La Route Tourangelle and finishing high up in several other European races. He found a contract with Q36.5 which was growing in size, and found himself in the squad this year with Tom Pidcock being added as a new team leader. Townsend is one of the riders whose level increased with the team’s added responsibility in the peloton, finishing high in several one-day races, winning the Irish national championships and ending the season not too distant from the UCI rankings’ Top100. He contributed a good amount of points towards the team’s wildcard hunt for 2026, but his most prominent result was the victory at the Hamburg Cyclassics.
In the German World Tour race, Townsend was part of the day’s breakaway, one that resisted all the way to the line. As his breakaway companions were swallowed up already mid-sprint, the Irishman’s punch was enough for him to survive in what was without a doubt one of the most dramatic finales of the year. Townsend now joins an illustrious set of riders who join the Unibet team which include Dylan Groenewegen, Wout Poels, Elmar Reinders and Niklas Larsen.
Townsend’s victory at the Hamburg Cyclassics was nothing but thrilling. @Sirotti