Picnic PostNL adds three junior talents from 2026; including world champion Megan Arens

Picnic PostNL is set to welcome three of the brightest talents from the junior ranks, headlined by new world time trial champion Megan Arens. The Dutch rider, who sealed the rainbow jersey in Kigali, has signed a two-year contract with the WorldTour team. She will be joined by her Grouwels-Watersley R&D teammates Maria Okrucinska and Daniela Hezinova, both of whom have also enjoyed standout 2025 campaigns.

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Arens has long been tipped as one of the best riders of her generation. Already fourth in last year’s junior road race at the World Championships, she confirmed her class this season with victories at the Trofeo Binda Juniors and the Dutch national time trial title, before adding the ultimate prize in Rwanda. She also proved her consistency with runner-up finishes at junior editions of the Ronde van Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem.

Okrucinska arrives with an equally impressive set of results. The Polish rider was dominant at the Bizkaikoloreak Juniors, winning the opening stage and finishing second overall while also collecting the youth classification. She took a stage win at the Watersley Ladies Challenge and finished runner-up overall, with further podiums at the Valromey Tour and Druivenkoers Overijse showing her strength across varied terrain. Her seventh place in the junior time trial at the World Championships underlines her all-round ability.

Photo Credit: Filip Bezdek

Hezinova, from the Czech Republic, has also demonstrated steady progress this year. A podium at Druivenkoers Overijse was one of her highlights, while she impressed with top-ten results at Bizkaikoloreak Juniors, the Valromey Tour, and the Watersley Ladies Challenge. Her consistency suggests strong potential for development, especially on challenging courses where her resilience comes to the fore.

For Picnic PostNL, these signings reinforce the squad’s reputation for nurturing young talent and building towards the future. With Arens, Okrucinska, and Hezinova stepping up together, the team gains three riders who already know how to perform on the international stage, and who could become central figures in the years ahead.