A year after retiring, Annemiek van Vleuten is returning to professional cycling as a performance mentor for FENIX-Deceuninck. The announcement was made by the Belgian team during a press conference hosted in FENIX Scenario in Milan. 

“I’ll observe the athletes and work closely with them and their coaches to reach their maximum potential. I became who I am through a laborious process of trials and errors, gradually building greater confidence in myself. The role I’ll represent for FENIX-Deceuninck cyclists aims to accelerate this process for each of them,” explained Van Vleuten. 

The 42-year-old former pro rider said that in the final years of her career she knew she wanted to work with professional athletes and cyclist. “When Philip Roodhooft approached me about joining FENIX-Deceuninck, I was surprised but quickly impressed by the professionalism and their commitment to both performance and the human side of the sport.” 

“This year, I experienced observing cycling from the other side as TV commentator. Now I have, ina small way, the opportunity to put my experience at the service of the growth of the women’s movement, perfectly embodied by FENIX-Deceuninck, whose professionalism and management by Philip Roodhooft I really appreciate. Women’s cycling is growing strongly, now there’s even the Professional category and quality is less and less concentrated in a few teams. It will be fun, and we’re here for it!” 

Known for her unmatched mindset and professional approach, the former two-time World Champion will guide riders to achieve their full potential. Her expertise and leadership will be pivotal in refining both individual and collective performances, as FENIX-Deceuninck continues to compete at the highest level. 

In her 16-year-long career, Van Vleuten won 104 races, including two road and two TT World Championships, four Giro Donne, one Tour de France Femmes and La Vuelta Femenina. 

“We are proud to extend our partnership with FENIX-Deceuninck, supporting their growth and success. Their commitment to excellence and innovation reflects FENIX’s values, making this collaboration a perfect match for shared aspirations,” said Stefano Mion, CEO of Arpa Industriale, the company that created FENIX. 

FENIX commitment as main title sponsor has been renewed until at least the end of 2027. “This long-term commitment provides a strong foundation for continued investment in the team’s growth and organizational development,” added Philip Roodhooft, general manger of FENIX-Deceuninck during a press conference hosted in FENIX Scenario in Milan. 

The team’s dedication to process improvement and fostering an environment that enables consistent top performances aligns seamlessly with FENIX’s philosophy, which focuses on innovation, technology, and excellence. 

FENIX’s timeless color palette will, once more, differentiate the team from peloton. Together with new kit sponsor Alé, FENIX-Deceuninck will have new striking designs. In addition to the iconic Verde Comodoro and the established team blue, the 2025 season will introduce Rosso Namib as new color. 

Thanks to the UCI’s allowance to switch outfits up to three times per year, all three colors will appear at different moments throughout the season, both in and around the peloton. 

On Sunday, the Belgian rider Julie De Wilde, racing in Women Elite for FENIX-Deceuninck team, reached the golden podium at SPAR Flanders Diamond Tour. Kathrin Schweinberger and Katrijn de Clercq achieved respectively second and third place.

De Wilde’s win comes after being away from the races because of an injury early in the season. Posting on Instagram the photo of her triumphal arrival, the champion commented “teamwork makes the dream work.”

The 128km one-day race, featuring a series of hills and cobblestones, saw on Saturday 136 riders at the departure in Aarschot and only 70 of them reaching the finishing line in the Citadel of Diest. The victory went to the Belgian racer Lotte Kopecky, followed by the Austrian Christina Schweinberger of FENIX-Deceuninck.

Getting to the top of the 500-meters final climb, one second after the winner, Schweinberger was supported by her teammates De Wilde and Van Alphen to conquer the podium at Dwars door het Hageland for the second year in a row.

As Alpecin-FENIX becomes Alpecin-Deceuninck, starting July 1^st, FENIX will continue to support the UCI ProTeam as an official partner.

FENIX became the second naming sponsor of the team in January 2020. In the following years, Alpecin-FENIX showed great and sustained development. Now, we are proud to see them continue to grow towards their World Tour goal. With the sponsorship change, the FENIX logo will be now visible on the back of the bib shorts.

“We look back to a very successful sponsorship over the past years and want to thank the entire team – cyclists and support staff – for the great achievements, but also the pleasant and professional cooperation.

Our FENIX brand has significantly benefited from this,” said Matthijs Schoten, CEO Broadview Holding in a statement.

“The team has showed a strong development in this period, and we are proud to see it making the step towards the World Tour, the top league in cycling. That is why we are pleased to make room for a new key sponsor to support this development. We will however remain actively involved to continue to support this successful team in its journey towards a leading position in the peloton.”

One day prior to the start of Giro d’Italia we are happy to announce that FENIX is extending its sponsorship agreement with Alpecin-FENIX until the end of 2023!

Sandro Marini: “We are so excited to extend the sponsorship of the Alpecin-FENIX team. We share the same values, so for us, the Alpecin-FENIX team is so inspiring.”