The Arkea-B&B Hotels women’s team has made a significant step forward by securing the signatures of Laura Asencio and Marjolein van ‘t Geloof for the 2025 season. Both riders bring a wealth of WorldTour experience and different race profiles, which the team’s management believes will be essential in their development moving forward.
Asencio, currently with Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling, expressed her excitement at the move, noting the opportunities it presents. “I am really happy to sign with Arkea-B&B Hotels. After six seasons with a foreign team, moving to Arkea will allow me to focus more on my personal goals in certain races, which is what I have been looking for. I’ll also support the climbers on the team, but my role as a puncheur will give me the chance to aim for my own results too.” She also added that her extensive experience will be valuable for her younger teammates. “I have a lot of experience at the WorldTour level, and I’ll be sharing that with my teammates next season.”
Meanwhile, van ‘t Geloof, currently riding for Hess Cycling Team, is equally optimistic about her future with Arkea-B&B Hotels. “I am excited to join Arkea-B&B Hotels in 2025. I really wanted to be part of this team because I believe it has everything it needs to grow and reach new heights. That’s the kind of challenge I need.” She revealed her fondness for one-day races, especially the cobbled classics, saying, “I love one-day races, especially the cobbled ones. Le Samyn, Binche-Chimay-Binche, and Paris-Roubaix are the races that suit me the most. Every year, I dream of Roubaix.”
Arkea-B&B Hotels’ sports director Gael Le Bellec sees the addition of both riders as a positive move for the team. “Laura and Marjolein have very different profiles, but they are exactly the riders we need to complete our 2025 line-up. Laura turned professional at a young age with a foreign team and has accumulated a wealth of WorldTour experience. That will be invaluable for our younger riders, and she will be a road captain, providing support to Valentina Cavallar during races. But she will also have opportunities to pursue her own results.”
Le Bellec also highlighted van ‘t Geloof’s strengths. “Marjolein is more of a classics rider, especially in cobbled races like Paris-Roubaix, which she has a particular passion for. She will also work as the lead-out rider for Michaela Drummond in flat sprints and take her own chances in uphill sprints. Both Laura and Marjolein bring an aggressive racing style and tactical awareness that will be key for our future success.”
For Arkea-B&B Hotels, the long-term goal remains entry into the Women’s WorldTour, as confirmed by general manager Emmanuel Hubert. “Our aim is for Arkea-B&B Hotels to join the Women’s WorldTour through the performances of our riders. The arrivals of Laura Asencio and Marjolein van ‘t Geloof will help us move in that direction. Both have significant WorldTour experience, and their strengths will add value to the team.”
Both Asencio and van ‘t Geloof have delivered solid performances in the 2024 season. Asencio’s 12th place in the overall standings at Itzulia and her strong finishes in races like the GP de Plumelec-Morbihan and GP Féminin de Chambéry demonstrate her capabilities across a variety of race profiles. Van ‘t Geloof has also impressed this year, securing a 7th place at the Drentse Acht van Westerveld and several other top-10 finishes in UCI 1.1 races, underscoring her consistency throughout the season.
