ANALYSIS | Evenepoel, Laporte, but which other riders are we still waiting to see in 2025?
Cycling
We’re now over a month into the 2025 professional cycling season, with fans and analysts keenly observing the performances and debuts of top riders after the winter break.
This week is significant, because of Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico. Notably, Simon Yates has commenced his season with Team Visma | Lease a Bike at the Tirreno-Adriatico, as the 32-year-old British cyclist and former Vuelta a España winner, left Team Jayco AlUla for Team Visma | Lease a Bike during the off-season.
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His debut with the new team at the Tirreno-Adriatico marks the beginning of a crucial season for him and his new team, where he firstly aims to lead the general classification at the Giro d'Italia in May. Subsequently, Yates is slated to support Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France in July, setting up a compelling sibling rivalry as his twin brother, Adam Yates, will be assisting the defending champion Tadej Pogacar at UAE Team Emirates – XRG.
Yates' move to Team Visma | Lease a Bike is viewed as a significant acquisition and one of the moves of the winter, potentially bolstering the team's GC ambitions. His experience and versatility are expected to complement Vingegaard's strengths, offering the team tactical flexibility in grand tours.
Remember, in 2023 Vingegaard and Visma were able to outnumber Pogacar in the mountains, but in 2024 it was often the Dane that was isolated against the might of UAE.
The Yates brothers' concurrent roles in rival teams add an intriguing narrative to the season, particularly during the Tour de France, where their strategies and performances will be closely scrutinised. Which Yates brother will come out on top? We’ll have to wait and see.
Yates debut is also important because it means there are just four prominent riders from the ProCyclingStats (PCS) top 100 rankings that have yet to make their 2025 debut. Perhaps you can name a certain Belgian on the list, but what about the others?
In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into the circumstances surrounding these riders that are missing from the peloton’s jigsaw puzzle, their anticipated returns, and the potential impact on their teams and the broader cycling landscape.
Remco Evenepoel
Of course, among the PCS top 100, Remco Evenepoel stands out as the most notable absentee from early season races. Ranked third, the Belgian cyclist made history in 2024 by securing both the time trial and road race titles at the Paris Olympics. He also achieved a commendable third place in his Tour de France debut, clinching a stage win and the white jersey for best young rider.
In fact, if it wasn’t for Tadej Pogacar’s triple crown winning season, Evenepoel would probably have been cycling’s MvP of 2024.
However, Evenepoel's momentum was disrupted in December 2024 due to a training accident in Belgium. While riding in Oetingen, he collided with the open door of a postal van, resulting in fractures to his rib, right shoulder blade, and right hand. This incident necessitated surgery and a substantial recovery period, delaying his season start.
Despite these setbacks, Evenepoel has demonstrated his ability to bounce back in the past, notably recovering from a severe crash at Il Lombardia in 2020 to win the Vuelta a Espana and a world championship in 2022. And, don’t forget, he was part of the horror crash in the Basque Country last spring, and still managed to find his best ever form in the summer.
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His planned return at the Brabantse Pijl on April 18th provides him with 11 weeks and one day to regain peak form ahead of the Tour de France which begins on July 5th, where he is expected to be a formidable contender.
Benoît Cosnefroy
French cyclist Benoît Cosnefroy, riding for Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale, has also faced delays in commencing his 2025 season. The 29-year-old, known for victories at the GP de Québec in 2022 and Brabantse Pijl in 2024, underwent knee surgery in January due to persistent pain that hampered his training.
The surgery necessitated a four week rehabilitation period before resuming normal training, pushing his season debut to at least March. This delay could impact his performance in the Ardennes classics, where he has previously excelled. However, with a measured recovery and targeted training, Cosnefroy aims to regain his finesses as the season progresses and is not rushing back to competition.
Christophe Laporte
Another notable name on the four man shortlist is Christophe Laporte, a crucial member of Team Visma | Lease a Bike since his transfer from Cofidis in 2022, who has been forced to postpone his season debut due to illness.
The 32-year-old Frenchman, who secured a bronze medal in the road race at the Paris Olympics and a Tour de France stage win in 2022, was initially slated to start his season at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.
His illness has disrupted these plans, with a potential return at Milano-Sanremo on March 22nd. Laporte's delayed start poses challenges for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, especially with other team members also facing health and form issues. His return is eagerly anticipated, as his ability in one-day races could significantly bolster the team's performance in the classics., particularly given Wout van Aert’s slow start to the campaign.
Thibau Nys
Thibau Nys, the 22-year-old Belgian cyclist and son of cyclocross legend Sven Nys, has opted to delay his road season start following a demanding cyclocross campaign. His winter season was filled with career-best achievements, including European and national championships, a World Cup victory over Wout van Aert, and a bronze medal at the World Championships behind Mathieu van der Poel and Van Aert.
Nys' transition to road racing is highly anticipated, especially after his overall victory at the Tour de Hongrie in 2024. His goals for 2025 include targeting the Flèche Wallonne and aiming for a stage win in a Grand Tour, potentially the Tour de France.
His skill and rapid development position him as a promising talent capable of making significant impacts across multiple disciplines, as he tries to follow in the footsteps of the two men ahead of him at the cyclocross world championships.
So there you have it, the four riders in the PCS top 100 that we’re still waiting to see go racing in 2024. Will Evenepoel be able to peak in time for the Tour? Will Laporte be able to help or even surpass Van Aert in the classics?
We’ll soon have all the answers.
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