No Grand Tour for Chris Froome in 2025 | Israel - Premier Tech go on the attack at La Vuelta with Riccitello, Frigo, Vernon & Stewart
Cycling
Israel – Premier Tech will line up for the 2025 Vuelta a Espana on Saturday with a squad built around attacking racing and stage-hunting ambitions rather than general classification goals, confirming there will be no Grand Tour for Chris Froome in what is likely his final pro season.
After notching up seven victories since the start of July, the team arrives in Torino buoyed by strong form and with clear intent to replicate the success of Mike Woods, whose memorable win at Puerto de Ancares was one of the highlights of last year’s race.
A squad built for opportunity
Sports Director Daryl Impey made no secret of the team’s objectives. “I think the theme of the race will be to take and make opportunities,” Impey said in a team press release. “We’ve got an attacking team, with riders like Marco Frigo and Jake Stewart who can make the race exciting, and knowing that we don’t have a GC rider, we want to present ourselves on those days where we see that a stage win is possible.”
The eight-man line-up features a blend of experience, raw talent, and debutants. George Bennett brings endurance and nous with seven Vueltas already under his belt, while Czech climber Jan Hirt and American prospect Matthew Riccitello add depth for the high mountains. Canadian Pier-André Côte, a former national time trial champion, makes his Grand Tour debut, while Israel’s Nadav Raisberg returns for his second Vuelta determined to take another step forward.
Climbing talent Riccitello will hope to be a strong force in the high mountains
Home start for Frigo
Perhaps the most motivated rider will be Marco Frigo, who starts his home Grand Tour on Italian soil. The 25-year-old from Bassano del Grappa has shown steady progression this season, capped by seventh overall at the recent Tour de Pologne, his best WorldTour GC result to date.
Frigo went agonisingly close to a stage victory in last year’s Vuelta at Yunquera, and his love affair with the Spanish race only deepens with this year’s Italian Grand Départ. “Grand Tours are the races I like to do the most, and I really enjoy the atmosphere, the adventure, and even the fatigue over the three weeks that the Vuelta creates,” Frigo said. “To start this year’s race in Italy is something really special. My family and friends will be coming to the first stages, so that will make it even more special for me.”
Vernon headlines the sprint unit
British sprinter Ethan Vernon will make his Vuelta debut after an impressive first half of the season, which included a stage win at the Volta a Catalunya and ten top-10 sprint finishes. With Jake Stewart acting as lead-out, Vernon will be eyeing the opening stage into Novara as an early opportunity. “I’m super excited to be starting my first Vuelta,” Vernon said. “It’s going to be a tough edition for sprinters, but four stages have caught my eye. The race starts with a potential sprint and jerseys up for grabs, so I’m motivated to start strong.”
Impey underlined the importance of the sprints for IPT: “The sprint days are super important for us, as we have Ethan to lead us, backed by his trusted lead-out man Jake, and Nadav and Pier-André can also play a role there.”
Israel - Premier Tech for the 2025 Vuelta a Espana
George Bennett
Pier-André Côte
Marco Frigo
Jan Hirt
Nadav Raisberg
Matthew Riccitello
Jake Stewart
Ethan Vernon
Pier-André Côte
Marco Frigo
Jan Hirt
Nadav Raisberg
Matthew Riccitello
Jake Stewart
Ethan Vernon
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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