The news from the peloton never stops. All the latest in EUROTRASH Thursday from Mark Cavendish’s future in Top Story, to cyclocross and next year’s road season and the passing of one of Belgium’ best – Rik Van Looy.
TOP STORY:
- Mark Cavendish receives a lifetime achievement award, but what about his future?
Rider news:
- Jonas Vingegaard will ride Paris-Nice in 2025
- Tom Pidcock will not ride cyclocross this winter
- Wout van Aert Might Still Ride the World Cyclocross Championship
- Eli Iserbyt’s cyclocross schedule not in danger
- Valverde can’t criticise Enric Mas
- Jan Tratnik: “I looked more like a robot with Visma | Lease a Bike”
- Aleix Espargaró swaps MotoGP for Lidl-Trek
- Mathieu van der Poel is in the Dutch team for World Cups
- Maxim Van Gils training in a plain clothes
- Matej Mohorič more motivated than ever
- Antonio Tiberi wants to shine next season
Team news:
- Q36.5 Pro Cycling in talks with second big name
- Telefónica to sponsor the Movistar team for five more years
- SKIL returns as cycling team sponsor
- Lotto: Lennert Van Eetvelt will make his debut in the Tour de France next year
- Giulio Pellizzari is ready to move to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
- Gerben Kuypers ends his cyclocross season
- Jan Christen pens long-term deal to stay at UAE Team Emirates XRG
- Tudor Pro Cycling Teams Up with Red Bull
- Lotto Dstny reveals new kit for 2025
- GreenEDGE Cycling unveil striking new look as MAAP becomes official technical supplier in 2025
- INEOS Grenadiers and Gobik unveils the team’s 2025 kit
- Lotto Team Skips Giro d’Italia Again in 2025
Race news:
- Paris-Nice 2025 Route: An Open-Air Opera
Plus the sad passing of Rik Van Looy.
TOP STORY: Mark Cavendish Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award, But what About his Future?
Mark Cavendish was honoured on Tuesday at the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 39-year-old sprinter won his 35th stage in the Tour de France this year, finally going one up on Eddy Merckx and making history. To celebrate this, Mark Cavendish received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
‘A celebration of an incredible athlete and an incredible career’. The BBC wrote when announcing the lifetime achievement award for Cavendish. “This is such an amazing feeling, what an honour”, Cavendish reacted. “I’ve been a cyclist for 20 years and I’ve done everything I can, so to receive this award is something very, very special. I’m lucky that I’ve done everything I wanted to do and I’m proud that that’s more than a lot of other people have done”, he told the BBC. “I always dreamed of having my name next to the greats I grew up with.”
In 2011, Cavendish became BBC Sports Personality of the Year, voted for by the British TV viewing public. This year, the Manx Missile, despite his record victory in the Tour, couldn’t win that title. The battle was between Jude Bellingham (football), Keely Hodgkinson (athletics), Luke Littler (darts), Joe Root (cricket), Sarah Storey (paracycling) and Alex Yee (triathlon).
What Does the Future Hold for Mark Cavendish?
After his 35th stage win in the Tour de France, Mark Cavendish ended his career at the end of 2024. It looked like Cavendish would be involved with the Kazakh team after his career, that now seems in doubt
The 39-year-old former cyclist has spoke of his future. “Of course, I still have a whole life ahead of me and I still have to take care of my family. I think I will join a management team of a cycling team,” he says in an interview in The Guardian. “I know the sport and I know how to build a team. That’s where I want to go. It’s an exciting prospect.”
Cavendish has just retired, but has already turned the page. “There was nothing left to achieve as a cyclist. I have been very lucky to be able to say goodbye without regrets. I am leaving in my own way, not because of an injury or a team manager who wants me to retire. I have been able to achieve everything. How nice is that?”
Cavendish will not play a role in the management of XDS Astana in 2025. Team manager, Alexander Vinokourov, spoke about Cavendish at the team media day in Altea, Spain. “We have a good relationship with Mark, he was very important to us. But sometimes it’s not easy to find an exact role for someone in the team and that was the case with Mark. Mark didn’t want to just be an ambassador for the team, Mark wanted to be part of the decision-making structure but that wasn’t possible yet. We still have a good relationship and we’ll see what happens later. Maybe in the future.” Vinokourov added: “It’s just a pity that Mark’s 35th Tour victory wasn’t worth 5000 UCI ranking points.”
No team job for Cavendish… yet:
Jonas Vingegaard will Ride Paris-Nice in 2025
Jonas Vingegaard will be on the start line of the 83rd edition of Paris-Nice next year. Christian Prudhomme, of race organiser ASO, announced on Tuesday during the presentation of the route of the Race to the Sun. Visma | Lease a Bike, Vingegaard’s team, has not yet made it public.
Prudhomme is certain that Vingegaard will be at the start of Paris-Nice again in 2025. “We will have a nice field of participants, especially with the announcement of Jonas Vingegaard, who has never won Paris-Nice,” the French sports-paper L’Équipe reported. “I can imagine that he would like to take sporting revenge in 2025, after Tadej Pogačar’s victory in the past Tour de France.”
Vingegaard has only started Paris-Nice once. In 2023, he competed against his great rival Tadej Pogačar, but was not fully on form. The Danish Tour winner finished third overall, behind Pogačar and the Frenchman David Gaudu. In recent seasons, he has often ridden Tirreno-Adriatico.
The 2025 edition of Paris-Nice (9-16 March) seems tailor-made for the Visma | Lease a Bike rider. The French race includes three mountain top finishes and, as in previous years, a team time trial in which each rider of the team gets his own time. Vingegaard will particularly want to strike in stages four, finishing in La Loge des Gardes, stage five a hill stage finishing on the steep Côte de Notre-Dame-de-Sciez and stage seven in Auron, after a final climb of 7.3 kilometres at 7.2%. The final traditional tough final stage is to and from Nice.
Vingegaard to ride Paris-Nice in 2025 not Tirreno:
Tom Pidcock Will Not Ride Cyclocross this Winter
It has been rumoured for a while, but now it is official: Tom Pidcock will not be racing cyclocross this season. The British rider announced via social media that he plans to return to cyclocross next year.
“On Sunday I watched a cyclo-cross for the first time this season. That reminded me that I should probably announce that I will not be racing this year,” wrote Pidcock, who is leaving INEOS Grenadiers to go to Q36.5 for 2025. “With all the changes, I want to make sure that I have the time to become part of a new environment and get to know my new team and teammates well. But at the moment I do plan to return to cyclo-cross next year.”
Pidcock has never missed a cyclocross winter in his professional career, but he rode a lot fewer cyclocross races in the 2023-2024 season than in previous years. The 2023 World champion raced eight times last winter and won once, in Namur.
No cross for Pidcock this winter:
Wout van Aert Might Still Ride the World Cyclocross Championship
A week ago, Visma | Lease a Bike announced the cyclocross plans of Wout van Aert: Six races in December and January, but have the cyclocross World championship been ruled out?
Van Aert starts his cyclocross campaign on 23 December in the Zilvermeercross in Mol. He will then ride in Loenhout, Gullegem and Dendermonde, then he has a training camp with Visma | Lease a Bike. There are two more races, the World Cups in Benidorm and Maasmechelen, but the cyclocross World championship are only a week later in Liévin, France. “The choices about which races he will ride were mainly made by Wout himself,” said team manager Jan Boven to WielerFlits. “He looked at what was best in terms of work and rest, in his build-up towards the Classics on the road. Because that is ultimately where Wout’s main goals lie.”
The team is convinced that this is the best way for Van Aert to be at his best in the Classics. He also stopped in mid-January last year, but due to the crash in the Dwars door Vlaanderen, he wasn’t able to race. “We actually want to do a copy of last year’s build-up,” said Boven. “We have a lot of confidence in the program we built up last year, and that is also what we based the current approach on. Certainly the part after his last race and his first road race should go in exactly the same way, in order to see Wout as the best in the Classics.”
The preparation can’t be completely the same, due to a crash in the Vuelta a España where Van Aert injured his knee, which meant that his build-up started later than usual, especially in running. “Normally he always starts with running training, but now the choice was to first see when he was fully fit to cycle again. Only then did he start running again, the other way around. But that is no longer the case. If that knee had still played up, he would never have done cyclo-cross. He is fully fit.”
The team still remains cautious about Van Aert’s expectations for his first cyclo-cross races. “In any case, that injury slowed him down a lot. He was badly injured and was unable to cycle for a very long time. The only expectations are to have fun, do something nice and have fun. For Wout it is great that he can do cyclo-cross. He is a cyclo-crosser and that is where his heart lies. But Wout is also a born winner, and Wout definitely wants to win. But physically he is not quite capable of that yet.”
So there might not be any duels with Mathieu van der Poel at first, former World champion Paul Herygers pointed out: “You never know. We do not know what Mathieu has done. It is in line with expectations that he will stand out. Mathieu is really building up to the World Championship, for us the winter is really only important to have a few nice goals as a break. That winter has also been long. We had to stop the road earlier, which makes that fun factor more important than ever.”
Van der Poel will ride the World cyclocross championship, but what about the Belgian? “Maybe it is still on the table, you never know. We can always adjust the programs,” Boven said. “Ultimately you calculate back, compared to his choices last season. He didn’t participate in the weekend of Hoogerheide anymore, but now his road season starts a bit later. And after the cross you still have to have a little break somewhere.”
Cross Worlds for Wout?
Eli Iserbyt’s Cyclocross Schedule Not in Danger
While teammate Michael Vanthourenhout took the win in the Namur World Cup, Belgian champion Eli Iserbyt had a bad day. The Belgian champion had to abandon early in the race. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider is struggling with an ‘old injury’, but what does this mean for his cyclocross plans for this winter?
Iserbyt is struggling with an injury that bothered him in the winter of 2022-2023: sciatica, a nerve pain in the lower back. Iserbyt didn’t feel that pain in his back at the time, but in the form of nerve pain in the left leg, a numb feeling, pain, loss of strength and muscle contractions. In Namur, Iserbyt was unable to race, but for the time being the injury has no effect on his competition schedule. “It is now especially important to do exercises with the physiotherapist and to avoid heavy exertion. Especially running uphill has an effect on the nerve pain”, Iserbyt, who was examined in the hospital on Monday, said in a team press release.
Iserbyt will be at the start of the World Cup races in Hulst (21/12) and Zonhoven (22/12) next weekend. “Hulst will be a benchmark. If the pain continues afterwards, a change of calendar may be possible”, according to the 27-year-old rider.
The injury also forced Iserbyt to withdraw in Namur in 2022, where the European Championships took place at the time. “The inconvenience has been manifesting itself throughout the cyclo-cross season, but it became more pronounced during the championship after an abrupt wrong movement on the sloping side”, he said afterwards. “The good news: rest is not the best option for this injury, but continuing to exercise is. In addition, the injury cannot structurally get worse. It is now important to pay even more attention to the problem. I have already worked hard on it: I visit my physiotherapist two to three times a week, I spend a lot of time on back exercises.”
Iserbyt has a bad back, but should still be able to race:
Valverde Can’t Criticise Enric Mas
Enric Mas has been one of the better Spanish Grand Tour riders in recent years. The 29-year-old rider has stood on the final podium of the Vuelta a España four times and has finished in a top five place in the Tour de France, but he still gets criticism in his own country. His former teammate Alejandro Valverde thinks this is unfair.
According to the 44-year-old Valverde, we have now ended up in a ‘vicious circle’. “I don’t know why they criticise Enric,” he said to Rouleur. “If he attacks from far away, they criticise him. If he comes up short, he also gets criticised. I don’t understand it. I think Spanish cycling fans criticise riders who don’t attack. But attacking just to attack, that’s pointless. Enric thinks a lot during the race. That’s why people criticise him. But when riders don’t feel 100%, they try to avoid mistakes and minimise risks. That’s why they don’t attack. They all do. Enric really lives for his job, is a top professional and does everything he can,” the ex-World champion speaks out for Mas.
With three second places in the Vuelta a España, Mas has already shown that he is capable of finishing on the podium of a Grand Tour, but can he win a three-week stage race? “He has shown that a final victory is possible,” said Valverde. “His weak point, however, is that he feels the pressure. But that happened to me too. That makes it more difficult. In the Vuelta he is clearly more relaxed, but the Tour is always very tough.”
Valverde has some advice. “Maybe it’s good to try the Giro d’Italia. To see what it’s like, how it feels. It’s a tough race, but there’s less pressure. I might try it, see how it goes. But, the Tour is the Tour. Enric is still the best GC rider within Movistar. It will also depend on what the sponsors want.”
Enric Mas criticised in Spain:
Jan Tratnik: “I Looked More Like a Robot with Visma | Lease a Bike”
Next season, Jan Tratnik will not be in the yellow-black of Visma | Lease a Bike, but in the new colours of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. At the team media day, the Slovenian looked back on the past two years with satisfaction, but he also saw a big difference. “I didn’t have a role as a mentor at Visma, I looked more like a robot,” he told Vecer.
The 34-year-old Tratnik also had good words for the Dutch team, where he won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last season and rode the Giro/Tour double. “I felt good at Visma | Lease a Bike. I lacked nothing,” he said. “But now I have a different role. I am a mentor for younger riders. I think I can help a lot and I didn’t have that role at Visma.”
At the press conference, Tratnik sat next to Primož Roglič, who moved from Visma | Lease a Bike to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe last year. Because Tratnik was still contracted to Visma for a year, the two were competitors for a year, but now they are riding together again. “Primož was happy that I came, but he didn’t insist. In the end, you have to be happy in life, not to convince someone. It was my own decision,” said Tratnik.
Tratnik is also planning to ride the Volta ao Algarve, the Tour of Catalonia, the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France with Roglič. “I think it’s great to do and I can’t wait, said Tratnik, who will also ride a few spring Classics.
Jan Tratnik looking forward to 2025:
Mathieu van der Poel is in the Dutch Team for World Cups
Mathieu van der Poel had already announced it, but now the cyclocross World champion has been officially included in the Dutch squad for the World Cup races in Hulst (21 December), Zonhoven (22 December) and Gavere (26 December). “Not only as a national coach, but certainly also as an enthusiast, I am looking forward to it”, said national coach Gerben de Knegt.
“It is nice to see that Mathieu still has so much heart for cyclocross, that he is going to ride eleven races and also wants to go for the title at the World Cup. He has chosen a nice program and the enthusiasts can see him in action enough this winter, starting in Zonhoven”, said De Knegt.
The selections are based on the UCI ranking of Tuesday 10 December and in Hulst the Netherlands is allowed to field more riders because it is a ‘home race’. De Knegt uses that opportunity to give Remon Delnoije, Klaas Groenen, Jamie de Beer and Larissa Hartog a chance. “Remon and Klaas are guys who also invest in their sport and in terms of results (still) fall short of the top at the moment, but they certainly deserve a starting spot in my eyes”, he said. “It is certainly to be applauded that there is still a supply of new names in the field, although we cannot complain about the breadth of the top in the Netherlands.”
Van der Poel back in the mud:
Maxim Van Gils Training in a Plain Clothes
Maxim Van Gils is currently on a training camp in Mallorca with his new team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, but the Belgian is not wearing a team jersey. After terminating his contract with Lotto Dstny, he signed with his new German team, but he cannot yet train in the 2025 jersey. It seems an old jersey is also not available.
Last weekend was the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe media day in Mallorca and Van Gils was spotted there in the blue jersey of the Belgian national team. “Normally, a black outfit would be sent, but that is not yet available,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws. “Luckily I brought a national team outfit myself.”
“The team also does not want us to ride in the 2025 jersey yet, because of the sponsors. They don’t even have their kit from this year in stock anymore,” said Van Gils, who is in clothing without sponsors with his new teammates.
On Tuesday, social media showed that Van Gils was on the road with the brothers Tim and Mick van Dijke, who will also be racing for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe in 2025. The Flemish rider was wearing sponsor-less kit from clothing brand Sportful, which is still a partner of the German cycling team until the end of 2024. From the new year, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will wear new clothing, produced by Specialized itself
Is that Maxim Van Gils in Mallorca?
Matej Mohorič More Motivated than Ever
Matej Mohorič had a disappointing year, for him, in 2024, but he did have bad luck. “Because of that, I could not achieve the desired results,” he said in an interview with CyclingUpToDate.
A crash in the Tour of Flanders ruined his Classics campaign. “That was the most difficult moment in 2024. My plans for the classics fell through because of that. It is a year to forget quickly. Now it is important to continue working. To train hard, so that I can perform better in 2025.”
The 30-year-old Slovenian, who has won Milan-Sanremo and stages in the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, still doesn’t know his full 2025 race programme. Although the Bahrain Victorious rider has a rough idea what he will be riding. “I will compete in a few races before heading to Belgium for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Those are my first goals of the season. I will focus on the spring Classics again next year, followed by a short break and then on to the Tour de France.”
Mohorič keen for next year:
Antonio Tiberi Wants to Shine Next Season
Antonio Tiberi made his breakthrough this year as a tour rider. The 23-year-old Bahrain Victorious rider finished fifth overall in the Giro d’Italia and hopes to perform even better in 2025.
Along with his fifth place in the Giro d’Italia, he also took overall victory in the Tour of Luxembourg, third in the Tour of the Alps and eighth in the Tour of Catalonia. However, the eager to learn Tiberi does not intend to rest on his laurels. “My goal for next year is to improve a little compared to last season,” he told Rai Sport.
“I have always succeeded in that so far. I keep discovering new things. I keep pushing my boundaries. Winning the white youth jersey in the Giro d’Italia is something that has given me a lot. It is currently the best victory of my career. It was very satisfying. The Giro has been my dream race since I was a child. To ride in the top 5 straight away when I first participated… It is a dream come true.”
With his good performances in the Tour, Tiberi also knows more eyes are on him, but that does not stop the Italian from expressing his ambitions for next season. “The first part of my season will revolve around the Giro d’Italia. After the Giro, we will decide how things will go. I also want to take revenge for the World championship. This year things did not go as hoped. I probably went there with too high expectations, but it was certainly an experience. A World championship is a competition in itself, since we ride there for our national team and there is no radio communication. That took some getting used to. I hope to be in my very best condition at the start of the World championships next year.”
Antonio Tiberi wants an even better 2025:
XRG Named as Co-Title Partner and Official Energy Partner of UAE Team Emirates
UAE Team Emirates to Become UAE Team Emirates XRG
UAE Team Emirates, the UCI World Tour’s No. 1 ranked cycling team, is delighted to announce an ambitious new 6-year partnership with XRG, an international energy and chemicals investment company committed to accelerating the transformation of global energy systems.
From the 2025 season onwards, the name of the team will evolve to become UAE Team Emirates XRG, with XRG confirmed as Team Emirates’ Co-Title Partner and Official Energy Partner.
XRG is investing across the energy value chain to meet growing global demand for smarter, cleaner energy, making it the ideal partner to advance UAE Team Emirates XRG’s commitment to achieving Net-Zero by the end of 2030. The team’s Road to Net Zero initiative will include optimisation of the team’s travel logistics and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and solutions.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, XRG Executive Chairman, said: “XRG is excited and proud to partner with the No.1 ranked team in the UCI World Tour. This collaboration reflects our commitment to pioneering disruptive and sustainable solutions that help meet the world’s growing energy needs and drive long-term value, while creating positive, lasting socio-economic impact. We look forward to supporting UAE Team Emirates XRG in continuing their dominance of global competitive cycling and in achieving their ambitious Net Zero goals, while inspiring healthier communities through the power of cycling.”
This collaboration further strengthens UAE Team Emirates XRG’s leadership in professional cycling, setting a new benchmark for sustainability and demonstrating the powerful synergy between innovation in energy systems and excellence in sports.
Mauro Gianetti, Team Principal and CEO, said: “We are delighted to unveil our new identity as UAE Team Emirates XRG. This partnership reflects our commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2030, while continuing to inspire future generations to embrace a healthy and active lifestyle.”
UAE Team Emirates XRG will debut its refreshed branding at the start of the 2025 season, prominently featured on team jerseys and equipment. The team will begin the new campaign as the No.1 ranked cycling team in the UCI World Tour, continuing its strong legacy of youth development, community engagement, and sustainable practices.
UAE Team Emirates XRG has achieved over 250 international wins, including three Tour de France titles, a Giro d’Italia victory, and a UCI World Championship gold medal by star rider Tadej Pogačar.
XRG on the jersey:
Q36.5 Pro Cycling in Talks with Second Big Name
Elia Viviani could be riding for Q36.5 Pro Cycling next year. According to many rumours, talks are underway between the 35-year-old Italian and the Swiss team’s management. The team recently signed his teammate Tom Pidcock from INEOS Grenadiers. It seems that there is no agreement yet, but the move is close.
At 35, Elia Viviani can already look back on a long and extremely successful career and he has no plans to retire just yet. He still has ambitions and dreams, but his contract with INEOS Grenadiers was not renewed after 2024. Viviani was one of the fastest sprinters in the peloton for years, but is also very successful on the track. Viviani was World champion in 2021 and 2022 and this year he won Olympic silver in the madison, after having already won Olympic gold in the omnium in 2016.
The Italian certainly doesn’t want to stop track racing and hopes to be back at the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in four years’ time, but will focus more on the road in the first non-Olympic year. “I would like to return to the Giro d’Italia next year. Winning a stage in the Giro, that is really my dream.” If Viviani does go to Q36.5 Pro Cycling, he will be the team’s eighth signing for 2025. Along with Pidcock, they have also added Milan Vader, Harm Vanhoucke, Sjoerd Bax, Emīls Liepiņš, Enekoitz Azparren and David González.
Viviani to Q36.5?
Telefónica to Sponsor the Movistar Team for Another Five Years
Good news for Spanish cycling team Movistar. Telefónica has decided to extend their sponsorship contract with the team for another five years.
The Spanish men’s and women’s teams will be in the peloton for another five seasons. Telephone provider Movistar is owned by the Telefónica group, which has been putting money into cycling as the main sponsor of the Spanish team since 2011. Over the years, Telefónica has had success with victories in Grand Tours, World titles, Classic victories and many stage victories in the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España.
Telefónica hopes that the team will perform better in 2025, because Movistar cannot look back on a very successful 2024. The team only had nine victories last season. The blue shirts only managed to triumph once at WorldTour level when Pelayo Sánchez beat fellow escapees Julian Alaphilippe and Luke Plapp in the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia.
The team has been strengthened for 2025 with Orluis Aular, Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda, Natnael Tesfatsion, Diego Pescador and Vuelta hero Pablo Castrillo. However, Movistar has also lost two important riders and UCI points scorers; Oier Lazkano and Alex Aranburu. Johan Jacobs, Rémi Cavagna, Sergio Samitier, Iván Ramiro Sosa and Vinícius Rangel have also not been resigned.
Movistar’s only WorldTour win – Pelayo Sánchez in the Giro:
SKIL Returns as Cycling Team Sponsor
SKIL is returning to cycling. The tool manufacturer was a sponsor of Jean de Gribaldy’s team in 1984 and 1985 with Sean Kelly and others, then the main sponsor of Iwan Spekenbrink’s team from 2006 to 2011. In 2025, SKIL will be a co-sponsor of the development De Jonge Renner JEGG-SKIL-DJR team.
SKIL emphasises its future-oriented focus and this seems to be the first step in a larger return to cycling. The tool brand states that it understands the World of cycling like no other. With this new collaboration, SKIL is building on the positive experiences of the past. SKIL sees sports as an important bridge to their target group and hopes to connect the fan bases of cycling and DIY enthusiasts in the Netherlands. “The link with the cycling world is a very logical step for us, seen from the past. It fits in perfectly with our focus on innovation, technical development and top performances. Whether you are a handyman or a cyclist, it is all about one thing: progress. We are now starting at a local level in the Benelux, but we have ambitions to create greater involvement in the future,” said Nynke Verhoeven, Trade Marketing Coordinator SKIL.
De Jonge Renner has been known for years as one of the better training teams in the Netherlands. From last year’s junior team, Ian Kings and Patryk Goszczurny, among others, are moving on to the Visma | Lease a Bike U23 team, while Ruud Nagengast jr. is going to VolkerWessels. From the Elite/U23 team, Frank van den Broek and Jelte Krijnsen have grown from the Elite/U23 team to the WorldTour with Team firmenich-dsm PostNL and Jayco AlUla respectively in the last two years. Also Kenny van Hummel and Roy Curvers moved on from De Jonge Renner to Skil-Shimano in the past.
Because the deal was only concluded at a late stage, SKIL is now signing a one-year contract, but the intention is to remain active with De Jonge Renner in the longer term. “We are particularly proud that we as an association have succeeded in gaining the trust of a brand such as SKIL. Together with our main sponsors JEGG and SKIL, we are setting course for a future in which cooperation, innovation and our far-reaching ambitions in cycling are central,” said chairman Coen Plompen of De Jonge Renner.
SKIL was successful in 1984 and 1985 with riders such as Sean Kelly, winning Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Tour of Lombardy, Eric Caritoux won the Vuelta a España and Gerrie Knetemann took Amstel Gold Race. As main sponsor of Spekenbrink’s team, they rode the Tour de France, Marcel Kittel was one of the Skil-Shimano riders.
SKIL back in the peloton:
Lotto: Lennert Van Eetvelt Will Make his Debut in the Tour de France Next Year
Lennert Van Eetvelt can prepare for his first Tour de France next year, according to Stéphane Heulot, the team manager of Lotto Dstny, in an interview with CyclismActu. It is not yet clear in which role Van Eetvelt will start in La Grande Boucle.
Van Eetvelt is one of the top riders of the Lotto team, which will continue next year without co-sponsor Dstny. The 23-year-old rider won two WorldTour stage races last season: the UAE Tour in February and the Tour of Guangxi in October. He struggled with a knee injury for a long time, but those problems are now behind him. In 2025, he will start the Tour de France for the first time, he has ridden the Vuelta a España twice.
“We hope that Lennert Van Eetvelt will be spared from all the injuries he has had in 2025,” said Heulot. “He will make his debut in the Tour de France. I don’t know if he will go for the general classification. Perhaps he will go more to discover the race and will choose suitable stages.” Heulot also hinted that Arnaud De Lie will return to the Tour next year. He rode the Tour de France for the first time last summer and took a few good places. Heulot thinks that there will be opportunities for De Lie in the next edition. “Arnaud De Lie is not a pure sprinter. That means: the hillier, the better. Of course I am talking about difficult finishes, not mountains. And I think that some stages of the upcoming Tour de France are designed in such a way that the peloton will thin out. I think Arnaud is one of the sprinters who is capable of overcoming the obstacles.”
Lennert Van Eetvelt to ride the Tour:
Giulio Pellizzari is Ready to Move to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe
The 21-year-old Giulio Pellizzari will make his WorldTour debut in 2025 riding for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Pellizzari rode for VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè for the past three seasons and has already made a name for himself with the Italian team. The young climber showed well in his home GT, the Giro d’Italia. The youngster wants to be in the action more often next year and with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, he should be able to get a taste of the big time even more often. “This team has a different approach. Everything is more organised and structured,” the talented rider said in an interview with the Italian Eurosport. “It is a big step. We will see how it goes during the races.”
Pellizzari knows his race programme for 2025: “I will start with three races in Mallorca, after that, I will go to the UAE Tour, followed by an altitude training camp and the Tour of Catalonia, Tour of the Basque Country and the Tour of Romandie.” The Giro d’Italia is not on the schedule. “I am a reserve for the Giro, so I probably won’t start. I will participate in the Tour of Switzerland, the Tour of Burgos and the Vuelta a España, followed by the Italian autumn classics. I would also like to return to the Tour of Lombardy, but that is still a long way off. We will see.”
Pellizzari will mainly ride for the team leaders next year. “But in some races I may be given the space to play my cards. But it is still my first year. I still have to find out where I stand. It is special to have Roglič, Hindley, Vlasov and Martinez in the team. They have won major tours and can therefore teach me a lot.” For Pellizzari, 2025 will mainly be about learning. “At Bardiani they taught me to become a good rider. Now I hope that Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe will teach me to be a winner.”
Pellizzari to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
Aleix Espargaró Swaps MotoGP for Lidl-Trek
Aleix Espargaró has been a MotoGP racer for many years, but he will be on a bike with Lidl-Trek next year. The team has announced that he will be an ‘ambassador’ of the team, it is still unclear whether he will actually race.
Last week, the news came out that Espargaró was about to join Lidl-Trek. Not the WorldTeam, which already has the maximum number of riders with 30, but in the training team Lidl-Trek Future Racing. Whether he will join is not clear from the press release: “The winner of three MotoGP races will be active as an ambassador for the team, by joining the most prestigious events. There he will promote cycling to a wide audience.”
Espargaró is a good friend of Lidl-Trek climber Juan Pedro López and certainly no stranger to cycling. “After a back injury forced me to stop running, I chose cycling for recovery and training. Over the years it became more than preparation. It became my passion. As a resident of Andorra, I became friends with many professionals and they inspired me,” the Spaniard explains.
With his 35 years of experience in top-level sport, Lidl-Trek wants him to be able to guide and coach young riders. “Cycling has been my passion for many years and I have decided to stop MotoGP earlier than I thought. This is to join a project that suits me well, and I am grateful to Lidl-Trek for that.”
Team manager Luca Guercilena sees mainly advantages in the arrival of Espargaró. “And certainly for our talents. We know that Aleix is strong and passionate, but he also brings other experiences and perspectives. He can explain to young riders what the pressure of top-level sport means. Aleix is an incredible figurehead to pass on our mission.”
Aleix Espargaró MotoGP to Lidl-Trek:
Gerben Kuypers Ends his Cyclocross Season
Last Sunday, Gerben Kuypers sustained a collarbone fracture in his crash during the fourth cyclocross World Cup in Namur. cross specialist of Charles Liégeois Roastery CX was successfully operated on in AZ Herentals in the evening, but is forced to end his cyclocross season. He will start the recovery process and prepare a comeback on the road with WorldTeam Intermarché-Wanty.
Gerald Ackerl (Team Doctor): “Gerben Kuypers sustained a fracture of his left collarbone in his crash during the cyclocross World Cup in Namur and was treated via surgery in the evening. After a successful operation he is feeling good and was released from the hospital in Herentals this Monday. He will observe one week of rest and should be able to gradually build up training on the rollers next week. Consequently, he is forced to put an end to his cyclocross season with Charles Liégeois Roastery CX, but we expect him to be recover well ahead of the next collective training camp in Alicante with the WorldTeam in January.”
Gerben Kuypers: “After a collective training camp with Intermarché-Wanty in Alicante, I was feeling well to start the World Cup in Namur, an important race for our Walloon sponsor Charles Liégeois Roastery. And I managed to confirm this with an excellent start. Together with Kevin Kuhn, we battled in the lead of the race for the podium, until my crash halfway through the race. With my sports director Bart Wellens we immediately went to the AZ Herentals, where I could undergo surgery four hours after my crash thanks to the excellent follow-up of the medical staff of Intermarché-Wanty. Everything went well, I had a good night, which is a first step towards the start of my rehabilitation. It is another major setback after my disturbed winter last year. But I want to relativise, I will shift my focus towards my road season with the World Team, for which I also cherish nice ambitions.”
The end of Kuypers cross season:
Jan Christen Pens Long-Term Deal to Stay at UAE Team Emirates XRG
Swiss youngster commits future to Emirati squad
UAE Team Emirates XRG have agreed a deal with Jan Christen which will see him in the UAE colours until 2030. The 20 year old Swiss has enjoyed a successful full debut season with the team having joined the squad at the end of 2023.
After an exceptional career as both a junior and U-23, Christen made a smooth transition to the World Tour, with three professional victories in his first full season along with playing a key role as a helper in some of the teams biggest victories, such as Il Lombardia.
Mauro Gianetti (Team Principal & CEO) : “We are very excited and pleased that Jan will continue in the team for many years to come. He is a big talent and we believe he has the right attitude and qualities to continue his progression with us. In his first year he has shown his ability to win but also to be part of a team and work as a team player which is very important quality for us. We want to see him continue to develop both as a rider and as a person.”
Jan Christen: “I’m super happy to extend my contract with UAE Team Emirates XRG until 2030. I’m very grateful for the team for showing so much trust in me. The opportunity to be in this environment which has been incredibly supportive – both on and off the bike – is a real privilege and I see it as the perfect place for myself to develop as a rider and make the next steps in my career. I’m still learning everyday from the best teammates possible and enjoying as much as i can with my feet on the ground and a lot of excitement for what‘s to come. I’m confident that I will make big steps forward in the coming years and achieve my big goals together with the team.”
Jan Christen with UAE Team Emirates XRG till 2030:
Tudor Pro Cycling Teams Up with Red Bull
Tudor Pro Cycling is proud to announce a brand-new partnership with Red Bull, best known for its energy drinks and influential role in the world of sports. This exciting alliance unites two brands synonymous with performance, innovation, and a relentless drive for excellence, bringing together Tudor Pro Cycling’s daring approach and Red Bull’s unparalleled support of elite sports.
This partnership positions Red Bull as Tudor Pro Cycling Team’s official energy drink partner.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team CEO, Raphael Meyer, looks forward to the partnership: “We are very happy to welcome as the official energy drink partner of Tudor Pro Cycling and can’t wait to continue our journey together.”
Red Bull’s integration with Tudor Pro Cycling marks an exciting step in the brand’s commitment to supporting emerging talent and the next generation of cycling champions. By aligning with Tudor Pro Cycling’s young and dedicated roster, Red Bull is reinforcing its dedication to the evolving world of road cycling and endurance sports, where discipline, resilience, and innovation intersect.
Next to Tudor Pro Cycling, the watch brand Tudor and Red Bull have been working together on numerous projects over the past few years including Visa Cash App Racing Bulls in Formula 1 and Alinghi Red Bull Racing in competitive yacht racing.
Lotto Dstny reveals new kit for 2025
Lotto Dstny Team and Vermarc Sport are proud to present the 2025 team’s race outfit
It’s finally out. The new kit in which the Lotto riders will shine from January 1st 2025. With Vermarc Sport, partner of the team since 2004, an almost full red jersey was designed highlighting the history of the team.
CCO Kenny Provyn explains the design of the new team kit: “We are super proud on this new race outfit. The design reflects on the 40th year of Lotto in cycling, with a retro and playful vibe. It’s a huge milestone to have the National Lottery this long with us as a lifelong partner, for which we wanted to create a kit that takes us back in time but at the same being trendy, fast and new.”
GreenEDGE Cycling Unveil Striking New Look as MAAP Becomes Official Technical Supplier in 2025 & beyond
GreenEDGE Cycling and MAAP, the performance-driven cycling apparel brand from Melbourne, Australia, have today announced a multi-year partnership, bringing MAAP to the UCI WorldTour as the official technical supplier to Team Jayco AlUla, Liv AlUla Jayco, and Liv AlUla Jayco Continental Team for the 2025 season and beyond.
Ready to turn heads in the new year, a distinctive and vibrant new look for both men and women’s teams will mark the start of a new era for the Australian registered team, that is set to embark on its 14th season in the UCI WorldTour peloton.
MAAP’s Melbourne roots bring a uniquely creative, yet globally inspired, perspective to cycling whilst its approach to style and design has helped change the way cycling apparel is considered, something GreenEDGE Cycling is excited to collaborate on and further.
Team Owner Gerry Ryan is excited to partner with an Australian brand that has become a global leader in its field and said: “The GreenEDGE Cycling adventure into the WorldTour as the first Australian professional cycling team has been an incredible journey and the team has expanded in many ways,” explains Ryan. “As we prepare to head into our 14th season we are very proud and excited to be collaborating with a world-leading Australian brand, MAAP.”
“The brand’s drive and spirit is something that fits in very well with our team culture and enabling the brand to step onto the WorldTour stage is something we are very proud of and passionate about. Their fresh approach to cycling apparel will really make GreenEDGE Cycling stand out in 2025. It is a new and exciting era for both GreenEDGE Cycling and MAAP.”
The 2025 kit has a distinct MAAP aesthetic and incorporates influences from the team and MAAP’s home of Australia and that of co-title sponsor AlUla. Designed to impart a sense of movement and speed, it combines inspirations from nature such as the windswept sands of the Outback and AlUla desert alongside influences from the world of professional cycling such as motion blurred photo finishes and wind tunnel testing.
The kit’s colour palette also draws on similar inspirations. Desert night skies, AlUla sunsets and the Aurora Australis (or Southern Lights) are all found in the rich violet ‘Aurora’ and deep ‘Midnight’ blue colours found on the kit. Whereas the striking ‘Shadow’ coloured bibs speak to MAAP’s pursuit of change and reluctance to follow trends. Finally, a nod to GreenEDGE’s long history in the pro peloton is found in the flashes of green dotted throughout the logos on the kit. With Giant and Liv road bikes and helmets to match, the look is complete.
Entering the UCI WorldTour as official technical supplier to GreenEDGE Cycling marks a bold new chapter for MAAP. Leveraging its experience in high performance cycling apparel by supplying cutting-edge performance kit and bringing its considered approach to style and design with a fresh new look for the teams.
Jarrad Smith, co-CEO and co-founder of MAAP, said: “Since founding MAAP a decade ago, partnering with GreenEDGE has been a long-held dream of ours. We are so proud to be in this position and aim to do everything we can to enable both the men’s and women’s teams to realise their full potential race after race while also serving to inspire a whole new generation of riders coming into the sport.”
Oliver Cousins, co-CEO and co-Founder of MAAP, added: “Our collaboration with GreenEDGE perfectly aligns with our vision of propelling the sport forward through a fresh perspective on performance and design. Both brands share a relentless drive to push boundaries, and we’re excited to equip these athletes with kit that gives them a performance edge and a distinctive look on the world stage”
GreenEDGE Cycling’s forward-thinking approach mirrors MAAP’s continual pursuit of progression in the sport. Both see the future of cycling as something to shape, not follow. This partnership showcases a shared ambition to break barriers and set new standards for the sport.
INEOS Grenadiers and Gobik Unveils the Team’s 2025 Kit
The INEOS Grenadiers and Gobik are proud to unveil the team’s 2025 kit, a reflection of their dynamic partnership committed to innovation, performance, and a relentless drive for excellence.
Building on a successful collaboration that has redefined technical garment development, including breakthroughs like the Singularity 2.0 TT Suit, Gobik, and the INEOS Grenadiers continue to set new standards for apparel designed to meet the demands of elite competition.
INEOS Grenadiers CEO, John Allert said: “New kit day is always an exciting moment for any cyclist. For our riders and our partners at Gobik, this year is no exception. The collaborative approach we’ve taken with Gobik to design our team’s kit ensures our riders not only look great but also feel great, and can perform to their optimum. This strong partnership has been the foundation for developing our fresh look for the next season.”
As Gobik and the INEOS Grenadiers embark on another season together, both partners are driven by ambitious goals and a shared vision for success. With innovation at its core, Gobik will continue to push boundaries, ensuring the team’s riders have the most advanced technical clothing to support their performance at the highest level. The new INEOS Grenadiers jersey builds on its iconic design with subtle but impactful updates that enhance its elegance and functionality. The refreshed look reinforces the team’s distinct visual identity, ensuring it remains a standout in the peloton while addressing key performance and safety needs.
John Allert continued: “For 2025, we’ve introduced added details and changes, including moving the orange accent to the left arm to enhance visibility during training. Safety remains a core principle for our team, and this updated design reflects our ongoing commitment to it. Gobik’s unwavering support and commitment to innovation have been invaluable during this exciting period for the INEOS Grenadiers. Looking ahead to 2025, we’re eager to further deepen our partnership and continue supporting each other’s ambitions.”
José Ramón, CEO and Co-Founder of Gobik: “The new INEOS Grenadiers jersey refines its iconic design, enhancing elegance and prominence in the peloton. A bolder white stripe strengthens the team’s identity, while bright orange fabrics in rain and cold-weather jackets improve visibility in harsh conditions. Subtle updates reflect a commitment to safety and performance, blending aesthetics, functionality, and technology for an exceptional rider experience. Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Gobik and the INEOS Grenadiers are ready to rise to new challenges with ambition and determination. United in their commitment to excellence, they aim to deliver not only top-tier performance for the team but also inspire cyclists around the world with innovative apparel designed for success in every race.”
INEOS Grenadiers new kit for 2025:
Lotto Team Skips Giro d’Italia Again in 2025
Lotto Dstny will not be at the start of the Giro d’Italia in 2025. The Belgian team, which will lose Dstny as a sponsor for next year, will not be at the start of the Italian race, just like in the past two seasons. Team manager Stéphane Heulot confirmed in an interview with CyclismActu.
All WorldTour teams are required to participate in the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España, but this is not the case for ProTeams such as Lotto. The team is now using this option for the third consecutive time and will not be seen in the 2025 Giro.
“It is an advantage that we as a ProTeam can still determine our own calendar,” said Stéphane Heulot. “The idea is to adapt the program to our selection. We will have 25 riders next year, while we had 29 riders last season. Four riders will also be coming over from the training team. It goes without saying that our calendar will be a bit smaller and adapted to our capacities. We will therefore also skip the Giro d’Italia again, even though I wanted to start the return to the WorldTour at the beginning of last year by doing the three major tours.”
Lotto 2025 Riders:
Jenno Berckmoes
Cedric Beullens
Lars Craps
Logan Currie
Jasper De Buyst
Arnaud De Lie
Steffen De Schuyteneer
Jarrad Drizners
Joshua Giddings
Sébastien Grignard
Arjen Livyns
Milan Menten
Robin Orins
Alec Segaert
Eduardo Sepulveda
Liam Slock
Lionel Taminiaux
Reuben Thompson
Jarne Van De Paar
Lorenz Van De Wynkele
Lennert Van Eetvelt
Brent Van Moer
Henri Vandenabeele
Baptiste Veistroffer
Jonas Gregaard Wilsly.
No Giro for Lotto again:
2025 Route: An Open-Air Opera
The Race to the Sun is perhaps best seen as The Four Seasons, a transposition of Vivaldi’s concerti to the world of cycling: a series of movements that sometimes take place in winter conditions; a dress rehearsal of sorts for the spring classics; riders priming their minds and legs for the big summer events; and cyclists beginning to reap what they sowed last autumn. A medley of terrains and a score rising in crescendo up until the curtain drop in Nice guarantee that only the most well-rounded voices of the moment stand on the podium. Teams will have to give their leaders their full-throated support from the inaugural stage in Yvelines, which could end either in a bunch sprint or with a daring adventurer using the Bosse des Mesnuls as a launch pad to storm to victory from 9 kilometres out. The next day will remind veterans of the stage to Bellegarde six years ago, when the wind battered the Beauce plains and swept multiple favourites out of contention, but Egan Bernal emerged unscathed and took his first big step towards winning the race outright. After that, power riders will crank out the watts in a time trial in true Paris–Nice style, stretching for 25.4 kilometres between the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours and downtown Nevers, which will reveal who has a legitimate shot at the title. The balance of power established in Nièvre will start to change in the summit finish at La Loge des Gardes (stage 4), coming at the tail end of a circuit through the Bourbonnais mountains with an altitude gain of 3,100 metres, where the mountain goats will lock horns for the first time.
The fifth day of racing will take the field to Ardèche on a course tailored to riders who can go from from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye: the last 50 kilometres are puncheur paradise, with climbs such as the Mur de Notre-Dame-de-Sciez, peaking at an eye-watering 18%. Stage 6 to Berre l’Étang has “sprint finish” written all over it, but it remains to be seen how many fast men will actually be left in the peloton after the often windy descent of the Rhône Valley. One thing is for sure: on Saturday, stage 7 will be decided among a handful of climbers (at best) following the hostilities on the Col de la Colmiane and the increasingly steep ascent to the Auron ski resort. The set-up for the final act will be complete, with the conductor of the orchestra, clad in yellow and white, determined to defend his baton from those who would change the tune. The 119.9 km loop around Nice will bring back the Col de la Porte for the first time since 2010, followed by the Côte de Peille, Col d’Èze and Col des Quatre Chemins. The fat lady will sing on the Baie des Anges!
Key points:
- The route of the 83rd edition of Paris–Nice was unveiled in Versailles this morning. Perray-en-Yvelines will host the sixteenth race start in the Yvelines department on 9 March.
- The show will hit a crescendo as it approaches the end of a diagonal line drawn on the map of France. A series of climactic moments will sort out the pretenders from the contenders, including an individual time trial raced as a team in Nièvre and a summit finish at La Loge Des Gardes halfway through the week.
- The battle for the yellow and white leader’s jersey will come to a head over the second weekend, with a mountain stage to the Auron ski resort followed by the final loop around Nice on 16 March. Sprinters and puncheurs will also be part of the orchestra in this suite of eight concerti playing out across 1,206 kilometres.
Paris-Nice 2025 stages:
Sunday 9 March, Stage 1 : Le Perray en-Yvelines > Le Perray en-Yvelines, 156,5 km
Monday 10 March, Stage 2 : Montesson > Bellegarde, 183,9 km
Tuesday 11 March, Stage 3 : Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours > Nevers (team time trial), 28,4 km
Wednesday 12 March, Stage 4 : Vichy > La Loge des Gardes, 163,4 km
Thursday 13 March, Stage 5 : Saint-Just-en-Chevalet > La Côte-Saint-André, 196,5 km
Friday 14 March, Stage 6 : Saint-Julien-En-Saint-Alban > Berre l’Étang, 209,8 km
Saturday 15 March, Stage 7 : Nice > Auron, 147,8 km
Sunday 16 March, Stage 8 : Nice > Nice, 119,9 km.
The Sad passing for Rik Van Looy
Rik Van Looy has passed away at the age of 90. The former cyclist is one of the greatest cycling icons in Belgium. Van Looy had been ill for several weeks and his health was deteriorating rapidly, Het Nieuwsblad reports. He passed away during the night of Tuesday/Wednesday morning.
At the age of 90, Rik Van Looy was the oldest living World champion. He took the rainbow jersey in 1960 in Sachsenring, Germany and a year later in 1961 in Bern, Switzerland. Van Looy also won all five Monuments during his career: Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy. He was nicknamed ‘The Emperor of Herentals’ and was also jokingly called ‘Rik II’ as the successor to Rik Van Steenbergen. He was a man of the Classics, but he also finished in the top-10 in all three Grand Tours and win a total of 39 stages, 9 in the Tour, 12 in the Giro and 18 in the Vuelta. He was also Belgian champion twice, as well as several victories in top Classics such as Paris-Roubaix and Gent-Wevelgem. He won those races three times in his career. Van Looy also won Flanders twice. After his career, Van Looy, born in nearby Grobbendonk, opened a cycling school in his Herentals and was appointed honorary citizen of Herentals.
Rik Van Looy’s wife, Nini Mariën, died in 2021 at the age of 88 after a lingering illness. By then, Van Looy had already withdrawn from public life for a while to assist her. “She has done so much for me, now it’s my turn” Van Looy said. The couple had a daughter and a son. When he lectured his young son by saying “when will you come home with a good school report again?” the boy’s response was “when will you win another classic again?” The following week, the 34-year-old Van Looy won La Flèche Wallonne.
Rik Van Looy was the best in his time:
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