Team dsm-firmenich PostNL reinforce across all three programs with Belgian talents

One of the heartlands of cycling where enthusiastic fans abode and the sport’s rich history is intertwined with that of the country; Team dsm-firmenich PostNL are excited to announce that they will bolster their Men, Women and Development programs with some exciting young Belgian talents.

After showing promise with the Development program, Robbe Dhondt will be promoted to the Men’s program in 2025, contracted with the team through the 2027 season. Coming from the juniors, Ella Heremans makes the step across the border as she becomes a part of the Women’s program, while Matteo Vanhuffel and Xander Scheldeman also make their progression from the junior ranks to join the Development program. Heremans, Scheldeman and Vanhuffel will wear the team’s colours for the next two years at least.

Robbe Dhondt

A consistent opening to his first year in the juniors saw Dhondt collect several top ten results in challenging Belgian one-day races such as Nokere Juniors and in 2022 he continued that with a superb solo win at Gipuzkoa Klasikoa and a fourth place at the European championships road race. Those results saw Dhondt join Team dsm-firmenich PostNL’s Development program in 2023 but his opening year in the U23 ranks was stunted due to injury. Hoping to put that behind him, Dhondt regained that racing rhythm in the opening part of 2024 where he supported his teammates and looked to get those racing kilometres back in. A fifth place in the Belgian time trial championships hinted that Dhondt was on the way back to where he was, before he made his debut alongside the Men’s program at Tour de Hongrie. The end of May saw Dhondt continue his good form with a brilliant third place on stage four at the Alpes Isère Tour; a race he would go on to claim 12^th on GC. Once more he would get a taste of pro racing on home roads at the Belgian Tour, but an unfortunate crash at Valle d’Aosta saw his 2024 campaign come to a premature end.

Dhondt said: “I’ve learnt many things so far with the team – that is the beauty of the development period. I took steps in terms of nutrition and training for example, so I learned things both on and off the bike. I’ve already done quite a few races with the WorldTour guys; the Tour of the Alps was a highlight – which was a great opportunity to ride with those experienced guys and I think I rode quite well there. I would say that I am open and forward-thinking which works well with the team, and I am really interested in new technology and the latest developments. I have had some tough times, but the team helped me tremendously with their guidance and this gave me a peace of mind and confidence. It was always important for me and my recovery that I wasn’t pushed and didn’t take too big steps too soon, so then it was good to have the right people around me to do that. I really feel like they had my back and best interests at heart. In the coming years with the Men’s program, I am looking forward to taking the next steps and learning everything can. I’m excited to see where my capabilities lie and what type of rider I can become, racing with the more experienced riders, and being part of more successes with the team.”

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Robbe has been with our Development program for two years and has had some ups and downs throughout that time. He’s had some challenging periods of injury but during that time he has shown his true colours of just how dedicated an individual he is, and he is someone that always works together with our experts and those around him to try and get better. In 2024 he’s raced alongside our Men’s program already and showed some strong team performances during that time where he left a good impression on us; and gaining valuable experience for the future. He’s shown abilities on the climbs and hilly terrain so far but we aim to focus on his general development in his first years at the highest level of the sport.”

Ella Heremans

Coming from Heist-op-den-Berg in Belgium, Heremans is in her second year of racing as a junior where she has shown potential over a variety of parcours and races. In 2023, she won the time trial at PK Antwerpen before going on to finish eighth overall at the notoriously tough Tour de Gévaudan Occitanie. She followed this up with second in the national championships road race, before another handful of top five results throughout the year, including an impressive second place at the junior version of GP Plouay. This season has seen Heremans further develop as she gains experience in the peloton combining that alongside continuing her schoolwork. Another consistent set of races in spring resulted in wins at Ottergem and Boezinge, alongside a second place in the Belgian national time trial championships; highlighting her range of skills as a rider. The latter half of the year saw her represent her country at the European championships where she helped her teammates, before a solid ride in challenging conditions at the World Championships.

Heremans expressed: “I was really attracted to Team dsm-firmenich PostNL because of the history the team has of developing young talents and all the opportunities I will get here. I am very much looking forward to learning a lot from the riders and staff and gaining valuable experience as I make the step up. As a rider, I am someone who likes hard racing and I like to push forward and attack if the opportunity presents itself. I hope to experience many joyful moments with my teammates and have fun with the girls on and off the bike. Moreover, I am a real team player, and I think my contribution can be a positive one within the team.”

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna continued: “Ella is one of the most exciting young Belgian riders in the Women’s junior peloton, so we’re pleased to be able to give her the opportunity to step-up to the WorldTour level next year with our Women’s program. She’s shown to be someone who can cope well with a hard and aggressive race, and she’s taken some impressive wins this year while racing in Belgium. Furthermore, Ella has produced good results in time trials, including second place at the Belgian national championships, so she has a good base engine that we can help to build and develop. The step up directly from the juniors to the elite category can often be quite daunting but we will support Ella to make it as seamless as possible, allowing her the freedom to develop without pressure.”

Xander Scheldeman

Hailing from Koolskamp in the West Flanders region of Belgium, Scheldeman has progressed through his age group categories, riding against some of the best from his home nation and further afield in Europe. His opening season in the junior category in 2023 saw him learn the ropes from his older teammates, where Scheldeman rode strongly as a teammate, but that didn’t stop him from collecting some good results himself with podium finishes at Roeselare and on stage two at Boucles de l’Oise Juniors, and multiple other top tens throughout the campaign. Taking that opening year with him into the 2024 season, Scheldeman has continued to further develop and taken good results over a variety of terrain and in different competitions, highlighting his versatility and potential as a rider; from time trials to reduced sprints, to a great second place over the cobbles at Nokere Koerse.

Scheldeman said: “I had some good conversations with the team, and I like the professionalism and structure that the squad has. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone within the team and achieving some great things together with my teammates and staff in the coming years. Now in the junior category, I see myself more as a classics-style rider who also has a bit of a sprint, but this of course can change in the coming years. I especially want to learn and continue to grow as a rider, and I believe that can be achieved here with the team. I am someone who always gives their all and I like to work with others to become the best version of myself; I think that will be beneficial for me in the next years with the team.”

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna explained: “A strongly built rider and someone that naturally suits the classics-style races, Xander has rode well in both of his junior years so far, developing along a nice trajectory. He’s impressed us with his attitude in the conversations we have had with him, and he is someone that comes across as a true team player. Obviously, he has shown himself more in the classics, but we want to give him a nice base to develop like all of our young talents, help him make the adjustments to the next level, and then in the future home in more on his specialisms.”

Matteo Vanhuffel

Young Belgian talent Vanhuffel has progressed his way steadily through the junior category with his team Wielerclub Onder Ons Parike. With a profile that suits the climbs more than the flatlands, Vanhuffel used his opening year in 2023 to find his feet, helping his teammates where he could, but there were glimpses of his talents on the climbs at races such as Valromey Juniors and Philippe Gilbert Juniors where he picked up fourth and fifth respectively in the first-year junior category. This season has seen Vanhuffel continue to develop at a steady rate, with some nice top fives in the earlier part of the year, including a fifth place in the Belgian national championships road race. The latter part of 2024 has seen Vanhuffel showcase his talents with ninth overall at Valromey Juniors, second at Tour du Léman Juniors and an 11^th place at the hilly Giro Lunigiana Juniors.

Vanhuffel expressed: “One of the things that attracted me to the team is the way they saw something in me before I even realised that myself, and that gave me a feeling of trust and belief. Also, the well-built structure of the team is something that fascinates me. I obviously look forward to racing with the team but more importantly to develop with and in the team and to reach my full potential. I see myself as a pure climber, but I also enjoy being in the attack in all types of races. Like many young guys, I have the dream of turning pro in the sport and I believe that is possible together with this team, as they have proven to be one of the best teams in developing riders and have a lot of history in the WorldTour too. I am someone with a lot of dedication, so I will do my best and give my all to try and succeed to the best of my abilities and I think that is something which can be valuable for the team.”

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Matteo is naturally more of a climber on the bike, and he has taken big steps in that department this year where he has really shown himself towards the front of some challenging races. We think that he of course still has a lot of room for improvement and with the help of our experts and coaching staff, we believe that he can continue to grow as a rider. In our conversations so far, he comes across as a really committed person, who always gives his best for those around him, and that is something we really appreciate. We’re looking forward to getting our journey with him underway.”