Alpecin-Deceuninck spring a surprise! Jasper Philipsen leads Vuelta a Espana lineup

Alpecin-Deceuninck have unveiled their eight-man squad for the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, with Jasper Philipsen a surprise inclusion as the Belgian sprinter looks to extend his prolific Grand Tour tally after crashing out of the Tour de France earlier this year

The team have made no secret of their ambitions for the final Grand Tour of the year, stating their goal remains “stage wins, just as we’ve done in the most previous Grand Tours we started.” Philipsen, who has built a reputation as one of the fastest finishers in the peloton, will lead the sprint train in Spain, backed by trusted lead-out duo Jonas Rickaert and Edward Planckaert.

On hillier terrain, Alpecin-Deceuninck will look to Luca Vergallito – the 2022 Zwift Academy winner, nicknamed Il Bandito – alongside Austrian all-rounder Tobias Bayer. Vuelta debutants Gal Glivar and Ramses Debruyne will also be given licence to seek their chances, representing the next generation of talent coming through the team’s development pathway.

The line-up is rounded out by the experience of Oscar Riesebeek, whose road craft and reliability add balance to a squad otherwise tilted towards attacking, stage-hunting riders.

While Philipsen’s inclusion steals the headlines, Alpecin-Deceuninck’s selection reflects a broader strategy of diversification: the team will not pursue the general classification, instead spreading opportunities across sprint stages, breakaways, and selective uphill finishes.

The 2025 Vuelta a Espana begins this Saturday in Turin, with early stages offering chances for fast men before the race turns decisively towards the mountains. For Philipsen, it represents another opportunity to add to his growing Grand Tour legacy – and for Alpecin-Deceuninck, another chance to underline their status as one of the most opportunistic outfits in the peloton.

Jasper Philipsen
Jonas Rickaert
Edward Planckaert
Luca Vergallito
Tobias Bayer
Gal Glivar
Ramses Debruyne
Oscar Riesebeek