Anna van Wersch will join Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team for the 2027 season, moving from Lotto-Intermarché Ladies after three years with the Belgian organisation. The 25-year-old Dutch rider brings Women’s WorldTour experience and a series of strong results in shorter stage races and Belgian one-day events to the British-registered Continental team.
Smurfit Westrock confirmed the signing on Instagram on Sunday, 1 November, describing Van Wersch as a rider with international experience and a record across both stage racing and the Classics-style calendar. The announcement confirms her arrival for 2027 but does not specify how long her contract will run.
Consecutive top-ten finishes at the Tour de Pologne Women
Van Wersch’s consistency at the Tour de Pologne Women is an important part of her recent record. She finished eighth overall in 2025 and followed that with tenth in 2026, when the three-day event was won by Lorena Wiebes. Across this year’s stages, Van Wersch placed eleventh on the opening day and twelfth on stage two, keeping herself in contention in a race where time gaps can be small.
Her experience extends to the sport’s biggest events. She raced the 2024 Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift and returned to Grand Tour racing at La Vuelta Femenina in 2026. This season also included the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, giving her familiarity with demanding WorldTour courses as well as the smaller events where she has often recorded her best results.
One-day results show strength on Belgian roads
The Netherlands rider’s best one-day placings include second at the Grote Prijs Beerens in 2024 and runner-up at the Grote Prijs CHW Beveren in 2025. The latter came behind Lotto teammate Katrijn De Clercq, completing a one-two finish for the Belgian squad.
In 2026, Van Wersch finished fifth at Dwars door de Westhoek behind Federica Venturelli, Lonneke Uneken, Marta Lach and Kathrin Schweinberger. She also took ninth at IXINA Leeuw-Oetingen, where Lorena Wiebes and Fleur Moors had escaped before the finish, and ninth at Dwars door Wingene in July.
The combination suggests a rider comfortable contesting difficult one-day races and competing consistently in shorter stage races. She is joining with experience from Lotto’s Women’s ProTeam environment, rather than making the move directly from junior or club racing.
Smurfit Westrock continues recruiting for 2027
Van Wersch joins an expanding list of incoming riders for the British-registered team. Smurfit Westrock has already announced signings including Aoife O’Brien, Raquel Queirós, Lucy Lee, Maaike Brandwagt and Ruby Isaac, while Teniel Campbell has extended her stay for 2027.
Adding Van Wersch gives the team a rider who has spent recent seasons racing internationally against WorldTour opposition, with particular experience in Belgium and the Netherlands. Her racing programme for next season has not yet been announced, and the team has not confirmed whether the Dutch rider will have a specific leadership role.
