On the eve of the 2026 racing season, NSN Cycling Team is excited to announce two new signings to the WorldTeam with New Zealander Dion Smith joining on a one-year contract and Rotem Tene signing on for two years as a neo pro.

Thirty-two-year-old Smith joins the team with immediate effect after three years with Intermarché – Wanty while Tene, who is the Israeli road race champion, has been promoted from the team’s development program and will officially join the team from from February 2 following Simon Clarke’s retirement.

“We are pleased to welcome Dion Smith to the team and happy to have made space for him ahead of the 2026 racing season,” explains NSN Cycling Team General Manager Kjell Carlström. “At the same time, we have wanted to bring Rotem Tene up from the Development Team, a promotion he well and truly deserves, and it made sense for him to take Simon Clarke’s spot in the team following his retirement at the end of the Australian racing block.

“Dion brings a wealth of experience after a decade in the pro peloton and will add depth to our one-day and stage race rosters, playing a key role as a support rider. While Rotem has repeatedly shown his strength as a sprinter in the five years he has raced for the Development Team and we are excited to see him develop further over the next two years. Dion’s experience and Rotem’s long-term potential perfectly complement our strategy as we continue to build a competitive and cohesive roster for the coming seasons.”

Smith is determined to make the most of the opportunity to join NSN Cycling Team, a move which will see him unite with many friends in the peloton, as well as former teammate Biniam Girmay.

“To have this late opportunity to sign for NSN Cycling Team this season feels very natural as the team has always seemed like a great fit for myself,” explains Smith. “Being surrounded by familiar faces and guys I train with a lot creates an environment I feel very motivated to be a part of. 2026 will now be key for me to show I still belong in the WorldTour, being a valuable asset to race leaders within the team.”

Twenty-four-year-old Tene, who secured his first pro win on stage 8 of the Volta a Portugal in 2025, expressed his relief at making the step up after knocking on the door of a WorldTour contract for the past few seasons.

“Going professional has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and dear God did I not expect for it to be this hard,” admits Tene. “It really does take everything you got to make it in this game, doesn’t it? It makes it even sweeter to finally achieve it. I’m excited to finally find out what I’m worth at the top level of the sport!”