Under-23 sprinter star turns professional with EF Education-EasyPost

Since his first year in the under-23 category, Noah Hobbs has been known for his top-end speed, finishing second in a stage of the Arctic Race of Norway two years ago. The path to a professional contract seemed straight forward with Groupama - FDJ's development team, but the young Brit chose another path, joining EF Education-EasyPost's new under-23 team for 2025. And Hobbs made it clear that this year would be his final in the category, racking up seven stage wins and GC victory at Volta ao Alentejo (2.2) along the way.

At the on-going Tour de l'Avenir, sometimes dubbed a "little Tour", Hobbs has proven to be the best sprinter at the under-23 level, defeating all his peers (of course the likes of Matthew Brennan don't participate) on two occasions. In the fourth stage, his victory was only denied by lone attacker Carl-Frederik Bévort.

"EF Education-EasyPost is a team that fits with all the reasons I love cycling," Hobbs said on team website.

"They’re a bit different, a bit out there, and all the riders and staff are amazing. I’ve only been on the U23 for a few months, but what’s clear is that everyone is happy to be part of the organization, and for me, that was a really important factor when deciding to pledge my future to the team. EF Education-EasyPost is a fun team, not too strict, and has a great culture," Hobbs said.

"Of course, there is a serious side to the sport, and the team set out a really clear and exciting plan for my development. Being part of the devo team was part of that process, so stepping into the WorldTour with EF Pro Cycling feels like the natural progression for me as a rider. I’ve done a lot of uphill finishes this year, and they come naturally to me, but in the future, I want to gain more power for the flatter sprints. In the WorldTour, I’ll definitely receive help with that."

"I still have a lot of goals for this season so that I won’t be slowing down, but I’m looking forward to racing alongside riders who I can learn from and develop with," Hobbs added.