18-year old ultra-climber reported to refuse offer from INEOS Grenadiers to join UAE Team Emirates

INEOS Grenadiers have huge funds but over the past years have lost their dominant position in cycling and are now very far from it. They are trying to get back to signing the brightest Grand Tour talents but without an under-23 team this remains very hard and it is reported that they will not sign Pablo Torres.

The team is said to be in the fight to sign Pablo Castrillo of Equipo Kern Pharma for several months but after his breakthrough Vuelta a España where he just won two mountain stages, plenty teams entered the run to sign the talent. However the team is also eyeing another Spanish talent in Pablo Torres; this evolution came upon the Tour de l'Avenir.

On the final mountain stage, ending at the Col delle Finestre, Torres put on one of the most shocking performances of the year as he climbed the Italian mountain almost four minutes faster than the second best rider, GC winner Joseph Blackmore. Obviously, not all his climbing performances were at that level, but his talent is more than evident with anyone that has an eye on the sport.

Torres, 18, is part of UAE Team Emirates' development team and it would be very obvious that he will take the leap towards the pro ranks in 2025. However as it was not certain, INEOS Grenadiers still made a late effort to sign the youngster but according to Relevo this effort was not successful and Torres looks certain to join the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Adam Yates and João Almeida next season.