German champion Franziska Koch has undeniably been one of the best signings of 2026, already marking herself an essential cog in the FDJ United-Suez machine that is spearheaded by Demi Vollering, and she will be vital heading into this weekend's Tour of Flanders.
Koch impressed during her seven-year stint with Picnic PostNL, having stepped up to WorldTour level as a 19-year-old in 2020, but she's reached new heights at the French team, taking fifth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and third at Strade Bianche while playing a support role.
At both of those races, a teammate of hers took victory, Vollering at the former and Chabbey at the latter, and Koch's work cannot be understated. A lead-out from Koch on the Muur van Gerardsbergen propelled the Dutch rider up the road at Omloop, while at Strade, she and the Swiss rider used their numeric advantage to conquer the thrilling finale into Siena.
As is the case with any rider taking a big step, Koch couldn't pinpoint one "magic" thing which had seen her performances improve, but did put a lot of weight on the enjoyment-focused but more professional environment provided at FDJ United-Suez.
"You never can say there is this magic thing, it's always a puzzle of life. But for sure, with this new team, it gives extra motivation being surrounded by such strong riders," Koch told Cyclingnews before the start of In Flanders Fields.
"I've got a new trainer from FDJ as well, and the training philosophy is a bit different. I'm just really having fun riding my bike. I love training, and I love racing. I feel like they're not massive changes, but I'm just happy and I think that's the most important thing.
"I think the environment feels more relaxed, but at the same time, also more professional, and I think that's like the magic key. A happy athlete is always a good athlete."
The team didn't mince their words when it came to speaking on how much Koch has added to their squad. Aside from the results, DS Lars Boom noted her personality before any of her characteristics as a rider when it came to why she's been such a good signing.
"She's a really nice person, and I think it starts with that. I think she's really kind, and she knows how to race and she's really professional, and that makes a big change to the team," Boom told Cyclingnews.
"I think with a rider like this, adding her to Elise [Chabbey] and Demi [Vollering] makes a big change, and we're very happy to have her."
It's been a perfect match for Koch, which she could tell even from her earliest discussions before fully joining the side.
"The moment I joined the team, even from my first meeting back in October, I was coming to dinner, and within 30 seconds, I felt home," she said.
"It's a great group, not just the riders, it's the whole staff. Like, I've been in contact so much more with, for example, my trainer, and the coaches, so it really feels like a family."
Vollering will return to the Tour of Flanders after skipping it in 2025, and she showed she's in red-hot form at Dwars door Vlaanderen, where she only missed out on victory in a narrow two-up sprint against former teammate Marlen Reusser.
Come Sunday, FDJ's star-studded team will look to launch the star climber away on the key bergs, with the likes of Koch and Chabbey both set to prove vital if Vollering is to win De Ronde for the first time. Don't be surprised if the German champion does a similar job to that at Nieuwsblad, where her pace was too high for everyone except her teammate to launch away from.
"I think Demi has done great already this season. She showed it already at Nieuwsblad just how strong she is," said Koch. "It can only get better. We had a really good camp at altitude and I think she's ready."
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