2025 season: the main developments and outlook
The 2025 cycling season is just around the corner, promising exciting races and unforgettable moments. With significant transfers, innovative sponsors and ambitious goals, the upcoming season will be a highlight for fans and experts alike. Here is a deeper insight into the most important developments and players.
Contents
- 25th Anniversary Tour Down Under: A Look Back and Ahead
- Newcomers 2025: The stars of tomorrow in professional cycling
- Top transfers: The stars change teams
- Sponsors, changes and ambitions of the teams
- Women's cycling: New dynamics
- Review 2024 and ambitions for 2025
- Conclusion
25th Anniversary Tour Down Under: A Look Back and Ahead
The 2025 Tour Down Under will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special route that honors the race's history while also presenting new challenges for the riders. The event will take place in and around Adelaide, South Australia, from January 17 to 26, 2025, and will traditionally mark the start of the UCI WorldTour.
With its blend of tradition and innovation, the Tour Down Under is much more than just the start of the cycling season – it sets the standard for sporting excellence and event management. With a compact route in and around Adelaide, the event combines flat sprint stages and challenging climbs such as Willunga Hill, which regularly provides decisive moments in the overall classification. As Australia's most important cycling race, it attracts riders from all over the world and, with innovative strategies for heat management and a clear focus on sustainability, it offers a modern role model in professional sports. The event also thrills with its fan-friendly atmosphere, where spectators can get up close not only to the riders but also to a wide range of participatory and cultural activities. The combination of sporting excellence, a welcoming community and the celebration of Australian culture makes the Tour Down Under an unrivaled experience.
Anniversary Edition 2025
The route for the anniversary edition includes six stages with a total distance of 824.6 kilometers. Particular highlights are the introduction of the challenging Knotts Hill/Pound Road climb in the third stage, which challenges the riders with a maximum gradient of 22%, as well as the double crossing of the iconic Willunga Hill in the fifth stage.
Overview of the stages:
- Stage 1: Prospect to Gumeracha, 150.7 km
- Stage 2: Tanunda to Tanunda, 128.8 km
- Stage 3: Norwood to Uraidla, 147.5 km
- Stage 4: Glenelg to Victor Harbor, 157.2 km
- Stage 5: McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill, 145.7 km
- Stage 6: Adelaide to Adelaide, 90 km
This anniversary edition promises to honor the race's tradition while also adding excitement and variety with new sections of the route.
The classification jerseys
The Tour Down Under honors the best riders in different categories with colored jerseys, each of which has a special meaning:
- Santos Ochre (Orange): The overall winner's jersey represents the color of the iconic South Australian outback landscape and is the most prestigious jersey of the race.
- Blue (Ziptrak®): This jersey is awarded to the leader of the points classification or sprint classification.
- Navy green with white polka dots: The King of the Mountains jersey honors the best climber of the tour and is known as the King/Queen of the Mountain classification.
- White: This jersey is awarded to the best up-and-coming rider under the age of 23, symbolizing the future of cycling.
Review of the last Tour Down Under
The 2024 Tour Down Under was a thrilling race characterized by intense duels between the favorites. The overall victory went to Australian Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), who impressed with consistent performances and a strong showing on the mountain stages. The legendary ascent of Willunga Hill was particularly decisive, with Hindley distancing his rivals and securing a decisive lead in the general classification.
The challenging stages and the many exciting duels thrilled the crowds, making the race a highlight of the 2024 WorldTour season. The Tour once again proved that it is not only at the highest sporting level, but also a celebration for cycling fans worldwide.
In 2025, the race's anniversary year, the focus will be on this unique blend of tradition, innovation and the iconic jerseys, in order to honor the race's success story and set new standards for the future.
Newcomers 2025: The stars of tomorrow in professional cycling
Young talents are entering the WorldTour with fresh ambition and creating a new dynamic:
- Albert Withen Philipsen: The 18-year-old Dane is inspiring with his versatility and tireless aggressiveness. As a potential Grand Tour winner, he will show in 2025 whether he can keep up with the world's best riders.
- Ramses Debruyne: The Belgian all-rounder brings exceptional skills in hilly terrain and time trialing. He will be a key rider for Alpecin-Deceuninck, especially in one-week tours and classics.
- Simon Dehairs: A young time trialist and climber who stands out for his versatility. With his explosiveness in the mountains, he could surprise in stage races in 2025.
- Tibor Del Grosso: The Dutchman is taking the leap into the WorldTour, where his strength in one-day races and his instinct for tactical attacks will be in demand.
- Aaron Gate: the 34-year-old New Zealander is a late starter at WorldTour level and brings valuable experience. The Astana Qazaqstan team relies on his versatility, especially in classics and one-week tours.
Top transfers: the stars change teams
The transfer period was marked by strategic changes and long-term contract extensions:
- Tadej Pogačar will stay with UAE Team Emirates until 2030. With his Grand Tour victories, he will continue to be a dominant figure in cycling.
- Marc Hirschi is joining Tudor Pro Cycling Team as their designated captain. His strength in the Ardennes classics makes him an asset to the team.
- Ben O'Connor will strengthen Jayco-AlUla with his impressive climbing skills and play a key role in the mountains at tours like the Tour de France.
- Remco Evenepoel will stay with Soudal Quick-Step until 2026 and will once again be aiming for Grand Tour titles.
- Mathieu van der Poel & Jasper Philipsen will remain with Alpecin-Deceuninck. Their dominance in classics and sprint stages continues unabated.
- Jonas Vingegaard & Primož Roglič will remain with Visma | Lease a Bike and continue to aim for Grand Tour victories.
Sponsors, changes and ambitions of the teams
- UAE Team Emirates is focusing on Grand Tour victories with a strong selection of riders around Tadej Pogačar and João Almeida. They are considered favorites at the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia.
- Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe is bringing technological advances to the team through its partnership with Red Bull. With Jai Hindley and Sergio Higuita, they want to win both classics and tours.
- INEOS Grenadiers is focusing on developing young talent and plans to adopt aggressive tactics in the spring classics. Tom Pidcock and Egan Bernal are their figureheads.
- Visma | Lease a Bike remains a dominant force in the peloton with a focus on Grand Tour titles.
- Movistar Team could have a game-changer in the form of Remco Evenepoel, with the potential to shine in both Grand Tours and Classics.
Women's cycling: new dynamics
Women's cycling is booming with exciting developments:
- Team SD Worx, with captain Lotte Kopecky, is aiming for victories in the classics and grand tours. Her tactical versatility makes her a favorite.
- Canyon//SRAM Racing is strengthening its team with Shirin van Anrooij, particularly for demanding stage races.
- Trek-Pirelli relies on a mix of youth (Elisa Balsamo) and experience (Lizzie Deignan) to achieve lasting success.
Looking back at 2024 and setting our sights on 2025
Last season's successes have set the bar high:
- Tadej Pogačar triumphed as world champion as well as at the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.
- Jonas Vingegaard ended the 2024 season prematurely after a bad crash in April 2024, finishing second overall in the Tour de France and winning the Tour of Poland, so that he could hit the ground running again in 2025!
- Mathieu van der Poel won both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
- Remco Evenepoel rode his first Tour de France and took third place straight away, behind winner Pogacar and runner-up Vingegaard. He also won the individual race and the road race at the Olympics.
Conclusion
The 2025 cycling season will be a spectacular year full of highlights. With promising newcomers, ambitious transfers and innovative team strategies, unforgettable moments await us that will make the hearts of cycling fans beat faster. The teams and riders are ready to make history and set new standards.
