Dutch cyclist Femke de Vries has made such a mark while racing with Continental team GT Krush Rebellease that Visma-Lease a Bike have scooped the 30-year-old up mid-season.
De Vries took up cycling at 23 after after being lent a road bike by her uncle and has been racing with the Continental team since the start of 2022. By 2023 she had worked her way up to the podium at UCI races, taking second place in the final stage of the 2.1 ranked Baloise Ladies Tour and then last month she was second overall at the 2.2 ranked Tour de Feminin, gathering a second and third in stages 2 and 3 respectively.
"Sometimes opportunities come along that you just cannot pass up. That's why we signed Femke." said team manager Rutger Tijssen in a statement announcing the signing.
"Femke has developed so much as a rider this year that she caught our eye. We have brought her in now, in the middle of the season, to give her the time and space to get used to WorldTour level and the chance to develop here. She will bring a balance of age and experience to the team. We also see a lot of potential in her for stage races and climbing."
This new WorldTour rider, who currently works as a doctor, will be joining a team where Marianne Vos is the driving force behind the results tally. There is also a large group of young up-and-coming riders, with a then 19-year-old Rosita Reijnhout putting the first mark on the victory tally for the squad in January 2024 in the Women's WorldTour at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Riejanne Markus also gave the team a second place on the overall podium at La Vuelta Femenina and took a solo victory at the Veenendaal-Veenendaal Classic.
"It is a big step, so it is exciting. I am especially looking forward to working as a close-knit team, pushing each other both on and off the bike," said De Vries.
"I am good at longer efforts, though my acceleration could probably be improved. I have mainly process goals because I want to get better every day."
