"Our dream has become a reality" - Fabian Cancellara, Julian Alaphilippe & Marc Hirschi react as Tour de France debut is confirmed for Tudor Pro Cycling Team
Cycling
With the official confirmation of the wildcards for the 2025 Tour de France, potentially the most delighted team on the entire list is the Tudor Pro Cycling Team, who are set for a first ever appearance at the most-watched bike race on the planet.
For the legendary Fabian Cancellara, team boss of the Swiss-based Tudor Pro Cycling Team and himself an eight-time stage winner at the Tour de France, the confirmation of their wildcard in 2025 means the realisation of long-term dream. “I have a lot of history with the Tour and I’m really looking forward to being back at the Grand Départ in my new role now," says the 44-year-old Swiss in a press release to his team's official website. "I’m very happy for the team, proud and excited. It’s our dream that becomes a reality now. We’re ready to show a daring racing spirit - in July we’re heading to France to race and not only to participate!"
Although this may be a Tour de France debut for the team, there is no shortage of experience in the French Grand Tour within the riders. Most notably, the darling of French cycling - Julian Alaphilippe is expected to lead Tudor at his home Grand Tour later this summer. “It’s super motivating to think about the Tour and it’s a real personal challenge to come back to the Tour, but even more so to be there with my new team. It definitely is a historic moment for Tudor Pro Cycling," says the two-time world champion. "The Tour de France is looking very difficult, as it does every year, with plenty of opportunities for punchers. Every stage of the Tour requires a lot of concentration and motivation, but especially in the first week, I see some opportunities with several stages designed for puncher profiles.“
Another of the big, winter acquisitions for the team - Marc Hirschi, also has proven, Tour de France stage winning experience to add to the team. “I have such good memories from the Tour: back in 2020, being at the start of my first Tour de France was a dream. For me, it is a dream to go back to the Tour," comments the former UAE Team Emirates - XRG star. "Going there and winning a stage would be the highlight of the year. The Tour is so special and so well known outside of cycling, that everyone wants to be at the start. The crowds are crazy all day long on all stages.“
“We’re a ProTeam, but operating on World Tour level has always been our goal. We’ve worked very hard on the structure of the team and are convinced that both staff and riders are ready for our first Tour de France participation. The invitation to this year’s Tour de France marks an important and historic step in the young history of Tudor Pro Cycling," adds Raphael Meyer, Tudor Pro Cycling CEO. "With dedication and our daring approach to pro cycling we’re looking forward showing ourselves at the Tour de France this summer.“
💛 Julian Alaphilippe de retour sur le #TDF2025 🥲
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) March 31, 2025
Welcome @TudorProCycling 🙌 https://t.co/Hlt2qkyZw0 pic.twitter.com/XNNdkoEEC0
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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