The Vuelta a España is the final Grand Tour of the season and often the one where the most riders look to impress in order to secure their future. That is the case with Ethan Hayter, who nearly beat Tadej Pogacar on the first day of the race, but still does not know where he will race from next year onwards.
Hayter turned professional in 2020 with Netcompany INEOS and developed over the years as a talented all-rounder, capable of sprinting, climbing, time trialing and stringing strong performances together to win the overall classification in races such as the Tour de Pologne and Tour of Norway.
But whereas in the past he was a strong finisher and puncheur, difficulties with positioning in the modern peloton has left him struggling to achieve results. He has since began focusing on the time trials, where he achieved a fair amount of success since making the switch in 2025.
The 27-year old Briton has now spent two years with Soudal - Quick-Step where he has mostly been given freedom to race for his own results, but this year his only victory was at the British time trial national championships.
As it stands, he has not renewed with the Belgian team, and does not know where his future lays. “I still don't know. It is the first time I am in this situation. In the past, I had always already signed or knew that it would almost certainly work out," Hayter shared with Cyclingnews.
Ethan Hayter is still without a contract at the time being
A victory at the Vuelta can change everything
Hayter could've lucked out at the Vuelta, having had the legs to make a big impact early on. On stage 1, he lost the opening time trial to Tadej Pogacar by a margin that was not even close to a second. An unlucky moment for the British national champion in Monaco, who attempted to jump into the red jersey the following day.
Hayter attempted to grab it through bonifications that he obtained in a breakaway. He succeeded, but then lost time at the finish line which also meant he had lost the opportunity. Ever since, his race has lacked the desired results.
The heat has also been taking a toll on the Londoner, who has been suffering through the Spanish Grand Tour. “A few days ago, I really thought I wouldn't make it this past weekend," he admits.
But he continues to race on, hoping to turn his race - and career - around with a victory. “One result can change things. I find that annoying sometimes. What I achieve on Thursday doesn't actually change anything about what I can do as a rider over the next two years. But that is just how sport works.”
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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