Julie Stockman will remain with ROOT Pro Cycling Team for the 2027 season, extending her association with the Belgian Continental squad after a difficult year disrupted by illness.
The 27-year-old has been part of the organisation since 2023, competing under several team names as the project has developed. The squad raced as Citymesh–Customm Pro Cycling Team in 2026 and is preparing to adopt its ROOT identity for next season.
Stockman confirmed the extension in a statement released by the team, explaining that the difficulties of recent months had not affected her enthusiasm for racing.
“After a season of ups and downs due to illness, I’m already looking forward to 2027,” she said, translated from Dutch. “I’m happy and honoured to be able to race in ROOT colours for another year!”
Photo Credit: GettyStockman looking to rediscover her 2025 form
The extension follows a 2026 campaign in which Stockman struggled to maintain the momentum she had established the previous season.
Her strongest international result came in May, when she finished eighth at Trofee Maarten Wynants. She also placed 27th at the Ronde van Brugge and 30th at the GP Immo Zone in Schellebelle, where she had celebrated her first professional victory a year earlier.
Illness made it difficult to build consistency through the summer. She raced at Copenhagen Sprint and the Baloise Ladies Tour, but abandoned the latter during stage two after previously finishing 104th on the opening road stage.
The contrast with 2025 was considerable. Racing for the team under its DD Group name, Stockman had taken her first professional victory at the GP Immo Zone in May.
On the cobbled circuit around Wichelen, she made the most of a race that had gradually reduced the leading group before the finish. Stockman won the sprint ahead of Jesse Vandenbulcke and Puck Langenbarg, delivering an important result for both herself and the team.
That victory, covered in ProCyclingUK’s report from the 2025 GP Schellebelle, demonstrated her ability to compete in Belgian one-day races where repeated accelerations and difficult positioning can turn a bunch finish into a contest between a much smaller group.
Returning to that level will be one of her principal objectives next season.
ROOT continue building their 2027 squad
Stockman’s renewal provides continuity as the team enters another period of change.
The organisation has developed considerably since Stockman first joined in 2023, with changes in sponsorship and branding accompanying an increasingly ambitious international programme.
For 2026, Citymesh became a headline partner alongside Customm, supporting the team’s participation in events including the Tour of Flanders, Ronde van Brugge and Copenhagen Sprint.
The transition towards ROOT Pro Cycling Team for 2027 maintains the underlying structure while giving the organisation a new identity.
Stockman is not the only rider remaining with the squad. Eline van Rooijen has also extended her contract for 2027, providing further continuity within a group that has been competing against increasingly strong international opposition.
For a Continental team, retaining riders who know the staff, equipment and racing programme can be valuable, particularly during a change of title sponsorship.
Stockman already understands the demands of the Belgian racing calendar and has demonstrated that she can deliver a victory when circumstances suit her strengths.
Her immediate priority, however, will be returning to consistent racing after the difficulties of 2026. The contract gives her another season to rebuild that form with a familiar team rather than beginning again elsewhere.
The message accompanying the extension was simple: “It’s the hard days that make you stronger.” After a challenging year, Stockman will hope that proves true when she returns to racing in ROOT colours next spring.
