Jayco AlUla swoop in for exciting UAE prospect - Young French rider who impressed at Tour de l'Avenir signs with WorldTour team
Cycling
Team Jayco AlUla have swooped for one of UAE Team Emirates - XRG's development riders, signing young French climber Ugo Fabries on a two-year deal.
After an impressive performance at the 2026 Tour de l'Avenir, the 21-year-old joins the team as a potential general classification prospect for the future. He has ridden for UAE's Gen Z development team for two seasons.
A former under-23 national champion, Fabries finished sixth in l'Avenir, catching the eye of the Australian team. In their announcement, they noted the young rider's performances in both hilly terrain and time trials as a major reason for purusuing his signature.
Fabries spoke of his excitement to join cycling's top tier as he returns to an English-speaking setup after previously riding with British team Trinity Racing before joining the UAE structure.
“I am super excited to be joining GreenEDGE Cycling and stepping up to the WorldTour next year. It’s been an amazing journey so far and I am grateful to have been supported by such incredible people and teams," Fabries said in the announcement.
✍️ NEW RIDER 🇫🇷 Team Jayco AlUla add young French talent Ugo Fabries to the 2027 roster 🎤 “I am super excited to be joining GreenEDGE Cycling and stepping up to the WorldTour next year." Read more 🔗 https://t.co/r5DR85MBdA https://t.co/wnCsCKOASU
— GreenEDGE Cycling (@GreenEDGEteam) October 13, 2026
Fabries kicks off his professional career
"I can’t wait to see what the next two years hold. I want to keep improving, learn the job and enjoy bike racing even more. Being back in an English-speaking environment is also something that makes me feel like GreenEDGE is the right place to start my pro career. I am looking forward to meeting everyone and getting things started.”
From Jayco's point of view, the signing represents a look to the future, noting his bright future as they declared their desire to help him develop into a potential general classification contender.
“We are really excited to have Ugo on our team. It will be our first French rider on the team, which is excellent," the team's Head of performance Gene Bates said.
Bates praises young rider
"We have been watching Ugo throughout the season and after some great performances, particularly at Tour de l’Avenir with second in the uphill time trial and sixth overall. We think he will be a great addition and has a bright future in climbing and potentially can develop into a strong general classification contender in tours."
However, at just 21, the team are keen to help Fabries gain experience and continue finding what kind of rider he is.
Bates added: "He is young, so we still need to explore what he is going to be like as a rider and we are excited to start this new journey with Ugo and see where he can develop and turn him into a World class athlete.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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