Team dsm-firmenich was signed by 23 riders: Rachele Barbieri of Italy and British U3 riders Josie Nelson and Abi Smith, aiming to solidify the women's roster after 2024.

Barbieri and Nelson signed the next 3 seasons to continue until 2026, but Smith, 21, was confirmed in 2024 and 2025. The team recently renewed the contracts of sprint star Charlotte Kool and Classics leader Pfeiffer Georgi, and all 3 new riders will play a key role for continued success.

Barbieri is a versatile rider who has completed her sixth professional season on the road for the last two years in Liv Racing. According to head coach Rudi Kemna, she will not only bring experience to the team dsm-firmenich, but also speed as another option for Kool to win the race.

"She shows herself to be an excellent sprinter and able to finish the race, but also a very capable lead-out rider," Kemna said. "I think she fits very well with the lead-out and sprint group she has in the women's program who can act as the last rider when she makes Charlotte a finisher, but Rachel will get a few opportunities as well.

In the 2022 stage race, the 26-year-old won Stage 3 in the Broisone Frisland Tour (formerly the Healthy Aging Tour), ranked 2nd in the points classification and 10th in Stage 2 in the Giro d'etalia Donne. In addition to winning a silver medal at the Italian Road Nations, she also took 3rd place on the Scheldepri and 6th place on the Flanders tour.

On the track, she won the 2017 world title in the Italian Scratch race, and also has a gold medal in Madison and omnium

"I look forward to joining the sprint group and helping Charlotte [Cool] in the finale. "It's a good idea," she said in a team statement. "I'm really excited to be part of the team because everyone is working really hard for one goal. I still have big dreams and ambitions, and with team dsm-frimenich, I think all the support and resources are available to help make them happen.

Nelson and Smith have been fixtures on the British cycling team for several years, with Nelson winning the 2022 Criteria Nationals and finishing in 2nd place to his new teammate George this year in the Road Race Nationals. Smith won a bronze medal 2 years ago for the British team in the u-23 Women's Time Trial.

The all-round ability was highlighted by Nelson this season in Team Corp-Hitec, ranked fourth in the Queen stage of the Scandinavian tour and fourth in the Kadel Road Race.

Smith is part of the US-based EF Education-TIBCO-SVB team, which has been folded for the past two and a half years now. During his time at EF, he competed in the Spring Classic and several stage races, won the Top 10 in the Santos Tour Down Under and won the podium at the National Rydale Grasscourt Grand Prix. With COVID-19 2 seizures and injuries, race days were limited, but she was looking forward to continuing to grow.

"Josie is a talented rider and shows that she can perform in a variety of terrains. Looking at the long-term skills, I believe I can grow into a rider who can compete in the final of the Hillie One-day race, but in the near future I also have strong support in those races

"The Abi has a very big engine, but it has suffered setbacks in the previous season. Aside from her potential for watches, we believe Abi can develop into an all-round rider with the team. She can use her powers to help control, catch breakouts and set up sprints, but she can also climb well, so she can get more numbers in the finale as it could be a key factor deeply involved in races such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège. You can do it.”