Team dsm-firmenich are pleased to reveal that a trio of new British recruits join their Development program for the 2024 season: Jacob Bush, Oilver Peace and Benjamin Peatfield. All three riders will wear the distinctive two-striped jersey through 2025.
Photo Credit: Craig Zad
Jacob Bush:
A multi-discipline rider, Bush has competed in both cyclocross and road racing in his junior career so far, claiming third in the British national championships in the former at the start of this year. On the road, he started his junior career strongly with second overall at Vuelta a Las Comarcas behind teammate Oliver Peace, after a two-up mountain breakaway. A strong rider on a variety of terrain, he took an impressive third in the time trial at the British national championships, fifth at the notoriously challenging and classics-esque CiCLE Classic, before raising his hands in the air at the Bath RC road race. This year has seen Bush develop even further, winning the MAS Design Yorkshire Classic before going on to triumph in the time trial at the British championships. It’s not just on the flat terrain that he’s excelled, with Bush taking a fine second place on GC at the hilly Tour de Gironde and fourth overall at the Valromey Juniors event. Recently he put in a fighting performance to take fifth in the time trial at the World Championships, highlighting his potential for the future.
Bush said: “What attracted me most about the team when we initially got in contact is their thoroughness and detail into the components you need to create the most complete bike rider and person, on and off the bike, such as the nutrition, coaching and material on offer. In the juniors I saw myself as a GC rider, I believe I can climb well and also have a good TT and this is something I’d like to continue to develop on with the team in the coming seasons, but as well as this, I think the team and it’s environment and ethos will most importantly help me to develop my weaknesses in order to make me a more complete rider. I’m looking forward to racing the longer stage races in the future and looking for results there, but I am just as excited to get stuck in to helping my teammates when needed to make sure they can get the best result possible for the team.”
Team dsm-firmenich head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Jacob has proven himself to be one of the strong riders in the junior category this season. He won the British national time trial championships, and in a country like the United Kingdom where time trials are held in high esteem and regard, then it shows his talents. Alongside his ability against the clock, he is also good on the climbs and a fifth place in the Grand Colombier stage at Valromey Juniors hints at his potential there. Having a combination of those skillsets would point to potential for the GC in the future but we don’t want to put any pressure on that, taking our normal step-by-step development approach.”
Photo Credit: Olivia Coukham
Oliver Peace
Starting his career in the junior ranks strongly, Peace took third place at the Heatherleigh junior road race in Great Britain before going on to win the opening stage and the overall title at the hilly Vuelta a Las Comarcas in Spain; ahead of teammate Jacob Bush. Those consistent performances continued with fourth on GC at the Isle of Man Tour, 12th overall at Bizkaiko Itzulia and eighth at Ronde des Vallées Juniors. Not only a road rider, Peace has shown his skills in the field too starting 2023 on a strong footing with second at the Great Britain cyclocross national championships. A string of solid results followed in his second year as a junior, such as eight overall at Gipuzkoa Klasikoa, finishing 13th at Liege-Bastogne-Liege after helping his teammate to the win, and sixth in the time trial at the British championships to name a few.
Peace expressed: “I really like how performance focused the team is and that was the most important factor for me wanting to join Team dsm-firmenich. This was very clear even from my first chats with the team and how focused they are on getting the most out of each rider, so I’m really looking forward to working with the team to become the best rider I can be. I think I’m more of a climber, and probably most suited to the Ardennes style of climbs and enjoy any hard and selective race really. Of course, the aim is to win races together with the team but also to develop as a rider where I dream of making the WorldTour in the future. I also think I’m a good teammate and hope to try to maximise the team’s result from each race as much as possible.”
Team dsm-firmenich head coach Rudi Kemna continued: “Oliver is naturally built as a time trial rider and someone that has a lot of power in his legs. Yet, he has also shown in the past two years that he is good at a bit of everything, from the Ardennes style climbs to the longer ascents. We think that he has a lot of untapped potential and within our environment he can thrive and develop even more as a rider. Alongside his on-bike potential, Oliver comes across as a really intelligent young man, who is considered in his approach to everything, and he can potentially develop into a captain within the team, setting a good example to the other young guys.”
Photo Credit: Cassandra Donne
Benjamin Peatfield
As a junior, like many, Peatfield was affected by a shortened calendar in 2020 but his second year in the ranks saw him take two impressive stage wins at Boucles de l’Oise juniors alongside other top results such as seventh at Bernaudeau Juniors and eighth at an epic and muddy edition of Paris-Roubaix. Making the step up to the U23 level in 2022 Peatfield started well and was part of a winning team time trial effort at Circuit des Plages, before going on to win a two-up sprint in May at the Prix Quartier St.Georges. Showing his ability to read races well and a good tactical brain, he went on to take sixth in the elite criterium race at the British national championships. 2023 saw Peatfield start strongly once again with some good top ten results in the French domestic scene but unfortunately injury and illness hampered his racing after that. A recent second place at the Prix Marcel Bergereau hints at his return to form as he looks to build on that for the future.
Peatfield said: “I was really attracted to Team dsm-firminech by the way they ride as such a solid team, and everyone is motivated and driven towards the same end goal. It was apparent after my first contact with the team that the solidarity within the group is one of the things they strive for and so that for me was an environment that I wanted to be a part of. I really look forward to being in such a professional environment and grabbing every opportunity with both hands. I hope to continue to learn, grow and become the best version of myself with the help of the team. The classics are always special, and I often produce my best results in these types of races. Although I also like to think I’m quite handy in a bunch sprint or even riding day-in day-out as a domestique so I’m just looking forward to getting stuck in with everything as part of the team. I’ve had a tough 2023 with many setbacks and therefore have not performed to my best ability so I can’t wait to build back up to my true level and of course would love to put my hands in the air again. I think I also bring a lot of experience and maturity to the team despite my young age so I would love to use this to the advantage of the team and help guide the younger guys on and off the bike. I can’t wait to get started.”
Team dsm-firmenich head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Benjamin had a promising junior career and has since made the step up to the U23 ranks. He’s had some bad luck in the past few years so maybe doesn’t have the results that he had hoped for, but we also really value his approach and mindset, not just the numbers on the result sheet. We had some good talks with Benjamin and it is clear that he is switched on and can read races well, plus he is really strong with his communication skills, in the race but also out of the races too. We think that he is someone that can bring a lot of value to our Development program because of that and with his strong mindset. Working closely with our experts, then we also believe that Benjamin still has a lot of room for development on the bike and we’re looking forward to starting our journey.”