"He still has untapped potential" - Austrian classics specialist makes the switch between two World Tour teams
Cycling
The transfer market does not slow down and this Thursday another move has taken place between two World Tour teams. Tobias Bayer of Alpecin - Premier Tech has signed a two-year deal with EF Education-EasyPost.
“Tobias is the kind of rider who can race a one-day or a grand tour with the same level of focus, freshness, and commitment," team manager Jonathan Vaughters said in a press release.
The American team has recently lost Richard Carapaz, their leader who was still under contract, but a rider who aimed for more as the team was unable to financially maintain him during ongoing struggles.
Carapaz was one of many. Michael Valgren, Kasper Asgreen, Mikkel Honoré, Markel Beloki, James Shaw, Gerog Steinhauser and Madis Mihkels have all signed for a rival World Tour team. But amidst the signings is one of Mihkels' teammates: Tobias Bayer.
"He’s shown that he is an incredibly devoted teammate who won’t hesitate to turn himself inside out for the cause. That said, we think he still has untapped potential and we are excited to see what he can do,”
Who is Tobias Bayer?
An explosive rider, an attacker. “I like this brave mentality of the team. It's a really attacking team. And I think that's just nice to race like this," the Austrian admitted in the team's announcement of his signing.
"And I think you have to do things differently in modern cycling, to win against those GC superstars. I mean, you saw in the Tour how successful the team was with their way of racing. The whole team went all out. I think you can only do it this way and they made a lot out of it. Plus, the pink jersey is iconic. I love it.”
Bayer turner pro in 2018 with his homecountry's staple, the Tirol Cycling Team, and moved to Alpecin - Premier Tech back in 2021. A rider who can handle the classics and can climb, his abilities were never hidden and his potential was rather clear.
He has since raced both the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España on three occasions, gaining valuable experience in the three-week races. At age 26, he ends his six-year stint with the Belgian team and moves into EF Education-EasyPost, where he will stay until 2028.
Bayer looks to take the next step
“I want to make that next step. There is room to improve and I want to make this step. I always look forward to getting nice results with the team, to really fight for that together. Those are the nicest victories you can have when it's really a team effort. And when the opportunity is there to take something myself, if that's in a breakaway or something else, I really want to give it a shot and go for it".
Bayer joins Emil Herzog, Iván Sosa, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Gavin Sherry as EF's signings into the 2026-2027 winter. “Through cycling, I’ve learned to keep going, keep pushing. It’s not always nice and there will be hard times but to just keep pushing. Sometimes you have to go through the difficult times because that’s what makes the good times even better,” he said.
“Growing up and watching all this on TV, seeing also how it motivates friends and family around me, the atmosphere and everything, is just super cool to be a part of," he concluded.
"I've had some really nice moments winning really big races and stages with my teammates while taking part in the biggest races in the world and making an impact. I really like this way of working really hard and getting the best out of myself. This is something that drives me".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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