Mountain bike champion makes the switch to the road : “This is the perfect time to step out of my comfort zone”
Cycling
Alan Hatherly, a professional mountain bike rider from South
Africa, made history at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games by securing the bronze
medal. This achievement marked a significant milestone, as Hatherly became the
first African and non-European to win a medal in the men’s mountain bike event.
The race saw Tom Pidcock clinching the gold, successfully defending his title
from the Tokyo Olympics.
In a surprising turn of events, the 28-year-old Hatherly has
now transitioned to road racing, signing with the WorldTour Team Jayco AlUla.
This move comes on the heels of an exceptional season in which Hatherly also
won the gold medal at the World XC Championships in Andorra.
Hatherly expressed his excitement about this significant
career shift: “I am incredibly excited about this new chapter in my cycling
career and very grateful for the opportunity to ride for Jayco AlUla for the
next two seasons. I think this is the perfect time to step out of my comfort
zone and develop myself even further. The switch to a WorldTour road team is of
course something completely new for me, it will be a steep learning curve and I
will learn from the best.”
Brent Copeland, Team Director of Jayco AlUla, spoke highly
of Hatherly’s potential: “Alan has clearly had a breakthrough season in that
discipline and it shows he has much more to offer.
Read also
“We are delighted to be working with such a talented rider
and believe that our strong support network within the WorldTeam setup is
something that Hatherly will benefit from. He has a lot of talent and clearly a
lot of potential and we believe he can go far on the road.”
With his proven talent and newfound opportunity, Alan
Hatherly's transition to road racing marks the beginning of an exciting new
chapter in his career.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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