Men’s WorldTour 2025 – Comprehensive team-by-team information

The low season is over and the 2025 marketing campaign is upon us. Who will punch above their weight? Who will battle for outcomes? And who will even be within the WorldTour in 2026?

Indeed, relegation is likely one of the themes of the season, as we enter the ultimate part of the three-year rolling rating that can determine the attribution of males’s WorldTour licences from 2026-2028.

If there’s one query mark it’s why Van der Poel’s success was so restricted to at least one three-week interval within the Spring, however you then bear in mind these exploits within the rainbow jersey and it’s sufficient to hold a profession on, by no means thoughts a season. Those two had been the 2 key pillars for the Roodhooft brothers’ staff in 2024, and it seems to be positive to remain that means in 2025.

With little to jot down residence about within the switch market, the 2 huge items of enterprise have been to increase each Van der Poel’s and Philipsen’s contracts – amid competitors for the latter. Classics and Sprints are the main target, then, with no nice prospects within the stage racing division, however that may wait – the rise of this staff thus far over the previous half-decade has been nothing wanting outstanding.

The French staff face a demanding season, with a relegation battle that begins from day one – to not point out the sponsorship search. They managed to realize a ticket to biking’s prime tier on the expense of some huge squads in 2023 however two years into the three-year rating that can decide the 18 WorldTour licences from 2026, they sit nineteenth. The staff struggled for wins in 2024 however the rise of Kevin Vauquelin, who gained a stage of the Tour de France, was a significant enhance.

Losing their prime 2024 factors scorer, Axel Zingle, who’s off to Visma, is not going to assist issues. Neither will shedding their conventional stage race chief, Guillaume Martin, who has chipped in with Grand Tour prime 10s of their colors. However, their checklist of signings does give trigger for optimism. Dylan Teuns arrives from Bahrain Victorious (a staff the place likewise he was snapped as much as rating factors) so as to add some top-level high quality to the roster.

There had been no main new signings and so the reasonably priced Van Rysel bikes had been credited with a outstanding upturn in outcomes; Decathlon ended the yr sixth within the UCI staff rankings, growing their 2023 UCI factors haul by 50%. And now for the issue. 1 / 4 of their factors had been scored by Ben O’Connor, who’s shifting to Jayco-AlUla. Have they lined up a alternative? No. Paul Seixas and Johannes Staune-Mittet are thrilling prospects for the long run however for 2025 Decathlon lack a top-level stage race rider, and a pacesetter on the whole.

Felix Gall will likely be known as upon to take the reins and does have the climbing high quality on his day, whereas Benôit Cosnefroy confirmed flashes of his outdated potential within the hilly Classics final yr. Decathlon may actually do with once-dominant sprinter Sam Bennett getting his profession again on monitor, whereas the remainder will likely be left to Frenchmen Aurelien Paret-Peintre and Paul Lapeira.

The larger loss is that of Alberto Bettiol, the high-class Italian puncheur, however in comes Kasper Asgreen, a former winner of the Tour of Flanders. The Dane has laboured previously couple of years, with no scarcity of damage issues, however soared within the Classics in his pomp, and remains to be solely 29. Can EF unlock that outdated magic? On a one-year punt, it’s precisely the form of deal that supervisor Jonathan Vaughters has constructed his staff on in recent times.

Still, they will take coronary heart from the truth that neither Martinez nor Pithie had been of their prime 4 UCI factors scorers in 2024. Top of that checklist was Stefan Küng, a star time triallist who has additionally been knocking on the door of an enormous Classics victory. Valentin Madouas is one other sturdy Classics rider, as is Romain Gregoire, a younger expertise notably suited to the Ardennes.

The different of these huge 4 points-scorers was David Gaudu, whose struggles appeared to be deepening all through the 2024 season till he popped up with sixth on the Vuelta. Time trialling stays a significant Achilles heel for the staff’s stage race chief however that was no less than one thing to construct on. The new signings aren’t overly inspiring although Guillaume Martin’s transfer from French rivals Cofidis does catch the attention – the Frenchman is commonly ridiculed for his yo-yoing racing type however does assault and does sometimes scratch the highest 10s in huge races.

Ineos Grenadiers head into the 2025 season with monumental query marks hanging over them, after a season through which not solely fell wanting expectations however noticed the wheels begin to fall off the entire operation. The British staff, as soon as the dominant pressure in professional biking, may solely handle seventh within the staff rankings, their tally of 14 victories the bottom of their historical past.

The paucity of huge wins got here with a rolling snowball of unfavorable headlines, from the MIA Steve Cummings to the controversy surrounding the de-selection of Tom Pidcock at Il Lombardia and the British star’s subsequent determination to terminate his contract and transfer groups. Ineos removed Rod Ellingworth forward of 2024 and seemed to place a brand new administration construction in place, however with Dave Brailsford busy at Manchester United alongside staff proprietor Jim Ratcliffe, the staff look as listless as ever.

If Egan Bernal, although, can proceed to inch again in direction of his finest, that might be a extremely thrilling prospect. Filippo Ganna and Josh Tarling are two of the perfect time triallists on the earth, with the latter a possible Classics contender alongside Magnus Sheffield, whereas Axel Laurance has been added for punchy sprints. But it’s arduous to see Ineos making good on their intentions to problem UAE and Visma in 2025.

They have an enormous star of their ranks in Biniam Girmay, and the staff as a complete seems to be to be being managed with better care, tradition and innovation than gave the impression to be the case just a few years in the past. Still, they want each ounce of that, given their roster is among the many weakest within the WorldTour, they usually have not finished a lot strengthening forward of 2025.

Gerben Thijssen can combine with the world’s finest sprinters, whereas there are alternatives for the smaller races, however the star of the present is much and away the Eritrean trailblazer Girmay. Previous feats comparable to his Gent-Wevelgem victory and Giro d’Italia stage felt like huge moments, and so did his first Tour de France stage win final yr in equity. But the way in which he kicked on to 2 extra phases plus the inexperienced jersey final summer season suggests a person actually settling into his stride now.

In steps one other Grand Tour chief in Ben O’Connor, a house Aussie rider who has had some nice years at AG2R. After putting fourth on the 2021 Tour de France, he led the Vuelta final yr for a very long time earlier than putting runner-up. He may need steadily shipped the lead he constructed up in a breakaway, however the remainder of O’Connor’s 2024 outcomes sheet confirms he is one of many prime stage racers on the earth, and Jayco ought to see some good returns.

The remainder of the signings are nowhere close to as excessive profile, so it is over to the prevailing huge names to ship, not least the sprinting duo of Caleb Ewan and Dylan Groenewegen. The duo struck eight occasions between them final yr, and realistically that should considerably enhance if the staff are to raise themselves up the rankings – relegation isn’t precisely looming however we’ve seen earlier than how one poor season can see an enormous staff sucked in.

It’s been 18 months since grocery store large Lidl got here on board to take the Italo-US staff to new heights, they usually’ve definitely made progress, with extra anticipated in 2025. Lennard Kamna is a powerful signing for the right here and now, and Albert Philipsen is one for the long run, however the staff have been quieter within the switch market this time round, with a big chunk of their 2025 squad intact.

That means the burly Jonathan Milan profitable a number of the largest sprints with one of many strongest lead-out trains. It means Mattias Skjelmose persevering with to get higher and higher stage race outcomes. It means Mads Pedersen taking the struggle to the highest two Classics riders and profitable loads of races apart from. And it means Thibau Nys, one of many brightest abilities, taking one other step ahead after his storming debut in 2024.

Enric Mas stays the staff’s figurehead and contributed with one other Vuelta podium, and a number of other extra main prime 10s apart from, however past the Spaniard issues are very skinny on the bottom for a staff of Movistar’s stature and historical past. The subsequent man who earned them a good serving to of factors, Alex Aranburu, is off to Cofidis subsequent yr. But there may be, in equity, an thrilling new face by the door.

They’re shedding Lennard Kämna – able to huge issues – and Sergio Higuita amongst others however it seems to be like a good refresh, particularly for the cobbled Classics. Elsewhere, Roglic leads the Grand Tour line however Jai Hindley, Dani Martínez, and Aleksandr Vlasov are all succesful leaders in their very own proper, whereas Sam Welsford can win the largest sprints on his day. 2025 won’t be the yr when Red Bull actually challenges UAE and Visma, however it may characterize one step nearer.

It’s a brand new period for the long-running Belgian staff, who’ve been shepherded by Patrick Lefevere since 2003 however should now discover their means with out the inimitable Belgian boss. Lefevere was one thing of a throwback, a divisive determine who did issues on his phrases and all the time pointed to his monitor document of outcomes when anyone kicked up a fuss. Without showering him with reward or criticism right here, it is truthful to name Lefevere a towering determine within the sport and it is arduous to see how the tradition of this staff does not shift or dilute in his absence.

On the street, Remco Evenepoel remains to be hanging round and he represents the beating coronary heart. The 24-year-old was already a Grand Tour winner and now has a Tour de France podium on debut to his title, to not point out his unbelievable Olympic double. The staff have mentioned goodbye to two-time world champ Julian Alaphilippe, in addition to former Tour of Flanders winner Kasper Asgreen. While the previous had dried up when it comes to outcomes, the latter represents a recent blow to the staff’s Classics credentials.

If Tadej Pogačar was a staff, he’d have completed eleventh within the UCI rankings in 2024. There are some ways to attempt to put the Slovenian’s season into perspective however with 25 victories, together with the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and World Championships street race, it was one of many best campaigns of all time. This is a rider who suffered for 2 Tours in a row however is now wanting like he may beat anybody on one leg.

2025, then, will likely be about seeing whether or not he can proceed to stretch his palmarès to much more extraordinary proportions. The worrying factor for the opposite groups is that UAE aren’t a one-man staff anymore. There are so many top-level riders it will take too lengthy to say all of them, however Adam Yates simply will get higher and higher, João Almeida stays strong, Brandon McNulty looks like he nonetheless has extra to present, and Juan Ayuso faces an enormous yr as he seems to be to say his standing within the pecking order.

From all three Grand Tours in 2023 to zero Grand Tours, 2024 was the yr through which Visma-Lease a Bike got here again to earth, albeit with a delicate touchdown slightly than a thud. Jonas Vingegaard was roundly overwhelmed on the Tour de France by Tadej Pogačar. The Dane gained each different stage race he completed however his season was marred by severe accidents sustained within the Spring at Itzulia Basque Country.

The staff’s different star man, Wout van Aert, suffered a Spring crash of his personal that took him out of Flanders and Roubaix – but extra heartbreak for the Belgian. Those accidents left the staff wanting a little bit skinny, they usually could nicely have regretted the choice to permit Primož Roglič to depart final yr. Either means, Vingegaard and Van Aert stay the 2 figureheads of this staff, and if each can keep injury-free then they’ll ship the staff again to dizzier heights. Simon Yates has been snapped up as a luxurious domestique, so Visma will nonetheless have an unbelievable Grand Tour first eight, and with Van Aert flanked by Matteo Jorgensen, Christophe Laporte, and Dylan van Baarle, they’ve the strongest Classics collective on the earth.

Jorgensen particularly was a revelation final yr, and never simply within the Classics, so will probably be fascinating to see what heights he can attain this yr, and which course he takes his profession. Meanwhile, Cian Uijdtebroeks was snapped up amid a lot controversy this time final yr however had a debut season to overlook amid claims of persistent accidents – if he can come good on his promise he’ll really feel like a top-level new signing himself. Visma could have misplaced their perch because the world’s prime staff, however they nonetheless have the standard and depth to get it again.

Likewise, query marks have swirled over Chinese carbon however XDS’ bikes will mark a debut within the WorldTour for Chinese bike manufacturing. It stays to be seen fairly how formidable the brand new sponsors are, however this definitely represents an enlargement past the staff’s Kazakhstani essence. And boy how they wanted it; Astana have virtually sleepwalked right into a relegation battle. They at present lie Twentieth within the three-year rating and want an enormous shift in momentum for XDS to nonetheless say they sponsor a WorldTour staff in 2026. The ‘ins’ checklist on their switch sheet definitely seems to be like that of a staff in panic mode, and with a bit additional cash to spend than in earlier years.

Alberto Bettiol is a high-calibre rider and instantly turns into their linchpin in 2025, particularly with the departure of Alexey Lutsenko, which itself marks a significant turning level in his standing as the house star of the Kazakhstani challenge. Wout Poels and Diego Ulissi are of their late 30s however the former remains to be a cultured operator and the latter nonetheless a factors magnet in smaller races, whereas Colombian climber Sergio Higuita is able to being up there within the largest races on his day. There’s no Mark Cavendish, however this looks like a staff that languidly wasn’t wanting far past his Tour de France document pursuit and has now all of a sudden woken up.

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