April Tacey is joining Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team for 2027, adding a proven one-day race winner to the British Continental squad as it continues to strengthen its roster. The 26-year-old Briton arrives after racing for Hitec Products–Fluid Control in 2026, following two seasons with the Norwegian Team Coop–Repsol set-up.
Smurfit Westrock announced the signing with particular emphasis on Tacey’s victory at the 2025 Simac Omloop der Kempen Ladies and her previous top-ten finish at Scheldeprijs. Both results underline her experience in the flat, exposed races of Belgium and the Netherlands, where positioning and timing can matter as much as finishing speed.
“We’re delighted to welcome April Tacey to the Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team,” the squad said. The team has not specified the length of her agreement.
A late attack that delivered Tacey’s first professional victory
Tacey’s biggest result came in May 2025 on the roads around Veldhoven. With the Omloop der Kempen heading towards an expected bunch sprint, she attacked with four kilometres remaining and was briefly joined by Helena Bieber. The pair opened a gap, but Tacey then continued alone as Bieber lost contact.
The peloton came close without completing the catch. Tacey held on to take her first professional victory, with Nienke Veenhoven of Visma | Lease a Bike winning the sprint for second ahead of Cofidis rider Valentine Fortin. It was a win built on recognising a hesitation in the bunch and committing to the move before the sprint teams could restore control.
That performance, covered in ProCyclingUK’s report from the 2025 Omloop der Kempen, is a useful indication of what Tacey can offer. She does not have to rely on a conventional sprint finish to produce a result, and has already shown she can judge an opportunity late in a competitive international race.
Experience across the European racing calendar
The Omloop der Kempen win was not her first notable result in the northern Classics. Racing for Lifeplus Wahoo in 2023, Tacey finished ninth at Scheldeprijs, a race often decided by a high-speed bunch finish. She also placed sixth in the British national road race championships in 2021, early in a career that began at Continental level with Drops.
Her results extend beyond one-day races. Tacey was 13th overall at the 2024 Tour of Chongming Island and fifth at the 2025 Ladies Tour of Estonia. Her programme has included Women’s WorldTour events as well as the Belgian and Dutch races that form a large part of the Continental calendar.
Those varied results suggest a rider comfortable with demanding race schedules and different finishing scenarios. The 2025 victory remains the clearest demonstration of her ability to turn that experience into a win, although her 2026 season brought fewer standout results.
Another addition to Smurfit Westrock’s 2027 plans
Tacey joins a team that has already been active in the transfer market. Smurfit Westrock previously confirmed five arrivals for 2027, including Aoife O’Brien and Raquel Queirós, and has since announced the arrival of Caoimhe O’Brien from EF Education-Oatly.
For a Continental squad, riders capable of competing for results without the resources to control an entire race can be particularly valuable. Tacey’s best performances have come from two different approaches: staying involved in a fast finish at Scheldeprijs and attacking before that finish could develop at Omloop der Kempen. That gives Smurfit Westrock another option in the one-day races where it will look to make an impact next season.
