VolkerWessels have confirmed the signing of Dutch rider Esmée Peperkamp on a two-year contract, adding further strength and experience to their line-up for 2026. The 28-year-old moves across after five seasons with Picnic PostNL, where she established herself as a reliable climber and time triallist.
Although she is still waiting for her first professional win, Peperkamp has produced a series of strong results in recent years. Her standout season came in 2023, highlighted by 4th place on the summit finish of Jebel Hafeet at the UAE Tour, where she went on to secure 8th overall. She also finished 10th at Dwars door de Westhoek that spring, showing her versatility across different types of racing. Earlier, in 2022, she was 3rd in the Baloise Ladies Tour prologue, 6th in the race’s individual time trial, and 8th overall at the Tour of Scandinavia.
Consistency and climbing potential marked her out as one to watch, but a long recovery from saddle surgery disrupted her 2024 season, restricting her to limited racing. Despite that setback, VolkerWessels see her as a rider capable of rekindling her GC ambitions.
“I’m really excited to join VolkerWessels Cycling Team next year,” Peperkamp said. “It feels like a warm bath and a step forward in my career. The team has full trust in me and gives me all the support I need to develop into a GC and time trial rider. I’m sure this will be the perfect environment to reach my full potential.”
She also pointed to the team’s identity as a key reason for signing. “VolkerWessels Cycling Team is special because they have a solid base, where every aspect of the riders is taken into account. What I also like is the aggressive racing style and that every rider gets their chances. I’ll add value through the experience I’ve gained in recent years, having raced all the top-level events.”
Her arrival follows the signings of Vera Tieleman and Florien Bolks, continuing VolkerWessels’ efforts to build a deeper squad across terrains. For Peperkamp, it offers the chance to relaunch her career after injury setbacks, while for the team it brings a rider proven in climbing and time trial tests at the highest level.
