Team dsm-firmenich PostNL extend contract with Vuelta stage winning Pavel Bittner

Fresh off the back of a brilliant sprint win on stage five last week at the Vuelta a España, Team dsm-firmenich PostNL are delighted to reveal that Pavel Bittner has extended his contract with the team. Bittner will continue to adorn the two-striped jersey that he has worn since 2021, contracted with the team through the 2026 campaign.

After a strong junior career, Bittner joined Team dsm-firmenich PostNL’s Development program in 2021. Finding his feet quickly at U23 level and proving to be a hard-working and loyal teammate, he progressed through the ranks and in the middle of 2022 made the jump up to the WorldTour with the Men’s program. A year of mostly learning from those around him as he adjusted to the next step, Bittner showed glimpses of what the team knew he was capable of with very respectable results in the likes of Tour de Suisse and CRO Race. In 2024 Bittner has continued his trajectory, where he’s ridden as an early support or lead-out rider for his teammates but has also shone when he’s been the team’s finisher. After a handful of close results earlier in the year, Bittner’s breakthrough performance came at the Vuelta a Burgos where he powered to a very impressive win on the opening stage, before going on to round out the race by showing it wasn’t a one-time result with another win. Currently at his first Grand Tour, Bittner came close in the opening sprints, but he and the team knew more was possible, and that all came to fruition on stage five. Producing a devastatingly long sprint, Bittner won the stage in a photo finish, taking a truly memorable win for him and the team.

Bittner said: “I believe there is still a lot to learn together with the team. We made a lot of progress since the start of 2021 and now it feels like home here, spending time with everybody. ⁠⁠Since my time in the Development program I think I have made really good progress. I had all the good people around me making sure we don’t miss any steps in my development and although sometimes it was taking longer than I maybe had wished for, it was all worth it to trust the process. I really like ⁠⁠the friendly atmosphere, it’s always fun with my teammates and the staff we have in the team. ⁠⁠Personally, I am trying my best to be a supportive guy on and off the bike towards all the members of the team. I believe one day I can maybe be a captain myself but that will take some time and learning from the most experienced guys we have here. ⁠⁠I am not sure what the future is going to bring, but I believe if we all try our best, we can never lose. There are a lot of very talented and strong guys in the team, so if we put in the work together, then I think we can achieve whatever we want.”

Team dsm-firmenich PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna expressed: “Pavel has really impressed us since he joined the team back in 2021. He’s not only strong on the bike, but he also brings a really good atmosphere to the team with his energy. He’s always open to new ideas and learning, but also to helping those around him, and us too. On the bike we have seen him take steps each season as he has progressed from the Development program to the Men’s program. This year he has continued to take those steps and with a really good foundation laid due to his committed and hard work in the Development program, we’re starting to see him take some top results, with the sprints wins in Burgos and the Vuelta incredibly special. I think everyone at the team has enjoyed working with Pavel so far, so we’re really excited to continue with him for the next few years and continue to push each other to be better.”