Oscar Onley picks up prestigious award in Scotland as reported INEOS move edges closer

Oscar Onley’s breakthrough 2025 season has been formally recognised at home, with the Scottish rider named Sport Scotland’s Young Athlete of the Year following his standout Tour de France campaign.

The Borders-based rider was among the winners honoured at Sport Scotland’s annual awards ceremony in Glasgow, with the accolade accepted on his behalf by Scottish Cycling president Sandy Gilchrist as Onley was unable to attend in person.

The award arrives at the end of a season that firmly elevated Onley from promising talent to established Grand Tour contender.

His fourth place overall at the 2025 Tour de France represented the joint best result ever achieved by a Scottish rider at the race, matching Robert Millar’s fourth place finish from 1984. It also marked the highest placing by a Scot in a Grand Tour since Millar finished second at the Giro d’Italia in 1987.

Onley’s Tour performance was the centrepiece of a consistently strong year. Earlier in the season, he had already signalled his growing GC credentials with a podium finish at the Tour de Suisse, alongside a stage victory, before backing that up against the very best riders in the world in July. By the end of the Tour, he had established himself as one of the most impressive young stage race riders of the season.

That rise has not gone unnoticed within the peloton. In recent weeks, multiple outlets have reported growing interest from INEOS Grenadiers, with the British team said to be exploring a potential move for Onley despite his existing contract. While no deal has been confirmed, the reports have underlined just how sharply his market value has risen following his 2025 performances.

For Onley, the timing of the honour feels significant. National recognition, a landmark Tour de France result and mounting interest from one of cycling’s most powerful teams all point in the same direction. His 2025 season has not only been a breakthrough on the road, but one that may soon lead to the biggest step of his professional career.