ANALYSIS | Josh Tarling, Mattias Skjelmose, and others: Who are the most exciting prospects in cycling for 2025?

The 2025 cycling season is fast approaching, and we certainly don’t have to wait long now until the peloton’s best riders are back in action. As we look to the new year, a crop of young talents is ready to take the peloton by storm. From strong Grand Tour performances to breakout wins in the Classics, the next generation of riders has been quietly building their résumés.

In this article, we’ll analyse five young riders who have shown immense potential in 2024 and could be on the cusp of achieving even bigger things in 2025. Let’s not wait any longer, so here is a closer look at some of the most impressive young riders in the sport right now.

At just 24 years old, Mattias Skjelmose had something of a breakthrough season in 2024. Riding for Lidl-Trek, he consistently delivered strong performances across various races. Skjelmose claimed the Danish national time trial title, finished fourth at Paris-Nice, and secured podium spots at the Tour of the Basque Country and Tour de Suisse. These results alone would make for an impressive season, but his defining moment came at the Vuelta a Espana, where he finished fifth overall and won the white jersey as the best young rider.

Skjelmose’s Vuelta campaign was particularly impressive as he got stronger as the race went on, which is surprising considering it is common for young riders to fade throughout the three weeks of a grand tour. After a rocky start that saw him lose significant time in the early stages, he methodically worked his way up the general classification, and by the final week, while many riders struggled to maintain their form, Skjelmose seemed to thrive. His eighth-place finish in the final time trial highlighted his potential as a future Grand Tour contender.

His team, Lidl-Trek, also had a superb year in 2024, with multiple wins that rewarded their ability to nurture young talent like Skjelmose, and the Danish riders performances have positioned him as one of the brightest prospects in the peloton. With his time trial ability and climbing strength, 2025 could see him take the next step toward becoming a legitimate Grand Tour contender.

Antonio Tiberi’s 2024 Giro d’Italia was the highlight of his career so far, and it came on home soil. The 22-year-old Italian, riding for Bahrain Victorious, finished fifth overall and claimed the white jersey as the best young rider in the race. Tiberi’s Giro debut proved to cycling fans that he can become one of the best climbers in the peloton, as he consistently performed against some of the world’s most elite climbers.

The Giro is often unforgiving for young riders, but Tiberi navigated the race with maturity beyond his years. His ability to stay with the leaders on the most challenging mountain stages and his smart positioning in the peloton highlighted his potential as a future Grand Tour winner. However, his season took a turn at the Vuelta a Espana, where he was forced to abandon due to heat stroke while leading the young rider classification. If it wasn’t for this bad luck, he may well have won the young rider’s classification at both the Vuelta and the Giro.

Despite this setback, Tiberi’s 2024 season has set a strong foundation for the future. With his climbing ability and growing experience, he is well-positioned to build on his Giro success in 2025. If he can avoid the health issues that plagued him at the Vuelta, Tiberi could establish himself as one of the top GC riders of his generation.

Max Poole, a 21-year-old British rider for Team dsm-firmenich, is another young talent worth watching in 2025. Poole had a steady, if not spectacular, 2024 season, highlighted by his 35th-place finish at the Vuelta a España. While his results may not grab headlines, Poole’s potential is clear.

Poole has been vocal about his ambitions to improve each year and has credited his mentor, Romain Bardet, for helping him navigate the challenges of professional cycling. With Bardet’s guidance and Poole’s own determination, 2025 could be the year he begins to make a name for himself in stage races and classics alike.

Pablo Castrillo’s 2024 Vuelta a Espana was quite simply the stuff of dreams. Riding for Equipo Kern Pharma, a wildcard team, Castrillo won two stages, including a dramatic victory on the brutal Cuitu Negru climb. His ability to hold off elite climbers like Aleksandr Vlasov and Pavel Sivakov demonstrated that he has both the talent and determination to mix it with the big guns when the lights shine brightest (except of course it wasn’t bright at all on the Cuitu Negru, but you get the idea).

Castrillo’s performances at the Vuelta earned him a move to Movistar Team for 2025, a step up that could provide him with more opportunities to shine on the WorldTour stage. As a 23-year-old with a proven ability to win in the mountains, Castrillo has the potential to become a key player for Movistar in Grand Tours and one-day races. Could Castrillo be the man to return Movistar Team to winning ways?

At just 20 years old, Josh Tarling has already made a name for himself in the professional peloton at such a young age. The British rider, who represents INEOS Grenadiers, is one of the most promising young cyclists to emerge from the UK in recent years. Despite enduring a challenging summer in 2024, where he was cruelly denied an Olympic medal by a puncture, Tarling still showed that he was one of the world’s very best in race against the clock.

As we’ve mentioned Tarling’s 2024 season was not without its struggles. His summer campaign included some tough results, and he failed to bounce back from his Olympic heart break at either the World Championships or the Vuelta. However, these challenges may prove to be a pivotal learning experience for the young rider as he prepares for the next steps in his career. With the backing of INEOS Grenadiers, a team known for developing top talent, Tarling is well-positioned to address these weaknesses and build on his strengths.

In individual time trials, Tarling’s performances got fans talking with his raw speed, even against more seasoned competitors. His combination of power and technical skill has drawn comparisons to some of the best time triallists in the world. However, like many young riders, he will need time to refine his racing strategy and build the physical endurance required to consistently compete at the highest level.

Looking ahead to 2025, Tarling is focusing on developing his all-around capabilities. With his evident talent and maturity at such a young age, he has the potential to become a dominant force in time trials while also growing into a reliable domestique in stage races. If he continues on this trajectory, the lessons learned during his difficult summer could prove invaluable in shaping his future success. Tarling’s journey is one to watch as he works towards fulfilling his immense potential.

The emergence of riders like Skjelmose, Tiberi, Poole, Castrillo, and Tarling underscores the depth of talent in the next generation of professional cycling, and there’s many more equally talented riders who we haven’t mentioned here. These young riders bring a fresh energy to the sport and represent the future of Grand Tours, the classics, and the World Championships. As they continue to develop, some of the riders we’ve mentioned above could become genuine contenders for stage victories and even better general classification results.

The cycling world is eagerly watching these rising stars, and with age firmly on their side, they have the potential to become the next big names in the sport. Whether it’s dominating mountain stages, excelling in time trials, or winning one-day races, these young riders are poised to make their mark in the peloton.