Ilse Pluimers will remain with AG Insurance-Soudal until the end of 2028 after extending her contract for another two seasons, giving the Dutch Classics rider continuity as she works towards a return from hip surgery.
The 24-year-old’s latest contract announcement takes her beyond the agreement signed in October 2024, which had been due to expire at the end of this season. It also removes uncertainty over her team for 2027 after an injury brought her racing year to an early end.
Two more years at AG Insurance-Soudal after disrupted season
Pluimers has been part of the organisation since its earlier development-team years and has developed into a regular presence in the Women’s WorldTour squad. Her strengths are in one-day racing, particularly the Belgian and northern French Classics, where her ability to ride aggressively over short climbs and difficult roads has made her a useful option.
She had begun 2026 with encouraging results, taking fourth at both IXINA Leeuw-Oetingen and the Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich. She also finished 23rd at Paris-Roubaix Femmes and twelfth at the Antwerp Port Epic Ladies, where the demanding route suited her Classics background.
However, persistent hip pain eventually forced her to stop racing. ProCyclingUK reported her decision to step away in July, after she had struggled with the injury during the season. In September, AG Insurance-Soudal confirmed that she had undergone successful hip surgery and would not race again in 2026.
The procedure was brought forward after discussions between Pluimers, her team and medical staff. The stated aim was to give her the best possible chance of returning fit for the 2027 season, rather than attempting to race again before the end of this year. An exact return date and her first race programme have not been confirmed.
Classics ambitions remain central to Pluimers’ future
When Pluimers last extended her contract in 2024, she identified Paris-Roubaix Femmes as a particular ambition and spoke about wanting more leadership responsibility within the team. Those were comments made at the time of the previous agreement, rather than statements about her latest renewal.
Her 2023 European under-23 road race title demonstrated her one-day potential, and she has continued to develop the experience needed for major races. At the 2024 Simac Ladies Tour, a long solo attack on stage two was only caught close to the finish, another example of the aggressive style she has brought to the squad.
AG Insurance-Soudal has been retaining experienced riders while assembling its roster for 2027 and beyond. The team’s sponsorship arrangements are secured through 2030, and recent contract extensions include Urška Žigart’s agreement through 2029.
For Pluimers, the immediate priority remains rehabilitation. The new deal provides two seasons in which to resume racing and pursue the Classics ambitions that have shaped her career, without having to find a new team while recovering from surgery.
