Both fresh faces to Team dsm-firmenich PostNL in 2024, Van den Berg and Welten have settled in well, bringing energy both on and off the bike to the team’s sprint group. Continuing their journey together as Team dsm-firmenich PostNL look to build on progression made this season, the Dutch duo will race in the team’s colours for another two years through the 2026 campaign.
Julius van den Berg
Coming from Purmerend in the province of North Holland, Van den Berg has been a professional since 2018. He took a fantastic stage win from the breakaway at the Tour de Pologne in 2021 but it is qualities and abilities as a true teammate that have shone through since joining Team dsm-firmenich PostNL. Often seen working selflessly at the head of the peloton to shut down breakaways or help set them up, driving the front of the bunch and supporting with positioning the sprint group in the finale, Van den Berg is more than willing to give his all for those around him. In 2024, he has played a part in nine victories for the team so far and looking ahead to the coming years he wants to add onto that total.
Van den Berg expressed: “I think the team has a nice atmosphere with all the guys. It’s a pretty young group but it feels really tight-knit and the staff also compliment that really well. The relationship between the staff and riders is good; it doesn’t feel like a boss and the workers, there is a lot of respect and equality between each other. This year I’ve had some nice memories with the team so far, and Tour of Türkiye really stands out to me, where we won multiple sprint stages with Fabio [Jakobsen] and Tobias [Lund Andresen], plus Frank [van den Broek] won the GC which we also played a part in; the group really clicked that week. Of course, being a part of Pavel’s [Bittner] first Grand Tour win at the Vuelta a España was really nice and what made that more special was it was a proper team win, we did it all really together, everyone did their role perfectly. I think in the next seasons I can continue to be someone that will help the team’s finishers in whatever way possible; I can ride on the front for a long time in a chase for example. I really like to give 100 percent to my teammates. Off the bike I like to have a nice atmosphere in the team, so I hope to bring that balance for the guys too and help them relax in the right moments. 2024 has been a good year for the team so far with a lot of wins and it’s also nice to see the younger guys continue to make steps and develop. I think that is only going upwards; so I hope we continue with that next year. For me, I like to win so I want to play my part in even more successes with the team.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Julius has a lot of firepower on the bike, and he has added that to the engine room of our team since he joined at the start of the season. He’s played an important role in supporting our finishers deep in the finales, but likewise he is also someone who has been able to help control races from the start. Furthermore, recently at the Vuelta we have seen him help set things up for his teammates so we can create race scenarios and breakaways that are in our favour. Looking ahead we’re hoping to grow further together with Julius in the coming years.”
Bram Welten
Hailing from Tilburg in North Brabant, which is actually in the south of the Netherlands, Welten has settled in well since making the switch to Team dsm-firmenich PostNL. Continuing his transformation into a strong lead-out rider and last-man in the sprint train, Welten has played a role in eight of the Men’s program’s wins so far this season. A dedicated teammate who is always willing to put his hand up and do what’s needed to help the team’s finisher, you can often find Welten stuck like glue with his teammates throughout the stage and deep into the finales. Having made his Grand Tour debuts at both the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France in 2024, Welten hopes to help Team dsm-firmenich PostNL take victories at the biggest races in the years to come.
Welten said: “I feel really supported here at Team dsm-firmenich PostNL, and that’s in both the moments that go well but also those that maybe don’t go as planned. I think that’s a good thing because having that support in the tougher moments are the times that then help you to do better afterwards. This year for example in the Tour of Türkiye we had a really nice group together, had a clear plan, and nailed it the whole week, and I want us to achieve that more together next year. I think I can bring some of my experience to the sprint group where we can work together so that we can deliver our finishers as fresh as possible into the last 200 metres for them to go for top results. Personally, a future dream goal of mine with the team would be to go back to the Tour de France sometime in the coming years and achieve some more great results there together.”
Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna continued: “Bram has fitted into the team really well since joining us at the start of this season. Away from the bike, he has a positive and outgoing character and is someone that works closely with the riders but also our staff group. On the bike we have seen him take steps and further develop in his role as part of our sprint group, often operating as last-man in the lead-out for our sprint finisher. We believe that Bram has not only the abilities but also the attitude to further grow in that role so we can target more successes together in the future.”