The winter break is finally over, and professional cycling is back in action. After months of anticipation, the peloton has returned, and the early races have already provided plenty of excitement and talking points. It’s great to have the season underway again.
The 2025 campaign has kicked off with a mix of WorldTour and smaller races, as some riders test their form while others wait to make their season debuts. While cycling never truly stops, there’s something special about the start of the road season, when expectations are high and every victory feels like a sign of things to come.
Among the standout performances so far, Jhonatan Narváez claimed victory at the Tour Down Under in his first race with UAE Team Emirates, making an impressive statement in the opening WorldTour event. Meanwhile, Tom Pidcock secured the overall title at the AlUla Tour, marking a strong start to his time with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. His much-discussed transfer from INEOS seems to be paying off already.
Off the road, the UCI has introduced key rule changes for 2025 that could significantly impact the sport. One of the biggest updates is the introduction of yellow cards as an official warning system before harsher penalties are issued, aiming to bring more consistency to race officiating. Additionally, WorldTour and ProTour riders are no longer allowed to compete in the U23 World Championships, ensuring the category remains dedicated to developing young talent. Another major change sees an increase in race distances for women’s events, aligning them more closely with the men’s calendar and pushing the sport toward greater equality.
Despite all this action, many of the sport’s biggest stars have yet to start their 2025 campaigns. Mathieu van der Poel recently secured his seventh Cyclocross World Championship, while Wout van Aert also wrapped up his cyclocross season before turning his attention to the road. In the coming weeks, we will finally see the top contenders return to competition.
When do the big names start racing?
Not every rider has confirmed their full schedule, but here’s what we know about when some of cycling’s biggest stars will kick off their 2025 seasons.
Tadej Pogačar
Pogačar’s 2024 season was one for the history books, as he won the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and the World Championships, cementing his status among the sport’s greats. The question now is: can he get any better?
We’ll soon find out. Pogačar’s season begins at the UAE Tour, a race he dominated in 2021 and 2022. This will serve as an early test before he takes on a busier spring schedule than last year. In 2025, he will defend his title at Strade Bianche and target Milano–Sanremo, his main spring objective. He will also compete in the E3 Saxo Classic and the Tour of Flanders, a return to his 2023-style calendar rather than the quieter spring he had before last year’s Giro-Tour double.
#### **Remco Evenepoel**
Evenepoel heads into his second Tour de France after winning the white jersey and finishing third on debut last year. However, his immediate focus is on regaining full fitness following a training crash with a delivery van in late 2024.
If all goes well, he will start his season at Brabantse Pijl in April, a race well-suited to his punchy style. From there, he will target the Ardennes Classics, particularly Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which he has already won twice. His first clash with Pogačar is expected to take place in the Ardennes, setting up an early-season showdown between two of the sport’s biggest talents.
Jonas Vingegaard
The two-time Tour de France winner is planning a Tour-Vuelta double in 2025, meaning his season is structured to peak in July. His campaign starts at the Volta ao Algarve, followed by Paris-Nice, a race where he finished behind Pogačar in 2023. Later in the year, he will use the Critérium du Dauphiné as a key Tour de France tune-up.
His ultimate goal remains reclaiming the Tour title after losing to Pogačar last year. Above all, he hopes to avoid the setbacks that plagued his 2024 season, particularly the crash in the Basque Country that nearly derailed his entire year.
Mathieu van der Poel
After equaling the record for most Cyclocross World Championships, Van der Poel is shifting his focus to the road. While it’s unclear whether he will begin his season at Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico, his main objective is clear: the spring classics. He will defend his Tour of Flanders title and attempt to complete a hat trick of Paris-Roubaix victories.
His dominance on the cobbles last year made him almost untouchable. The big question for 2025 is whether anyone—perhaps Pogačar at Flanders—can challenge him this time around.
Primož Roglič
Roglič’s move to BORA-hansgrohe was one of the biggest transfer stories last season, and now he is preparing for his second year with the team. His season starts at the Volta ao Algarve on February 19, followed by the Volta a Catalunya in March.
His biggest challenge will be attempting a Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double, a demanding task for any rider, especially at 35 years old. Whether he can still compete for Grand Tour victories at this stage of his career remains to be seen.
Wout van Aer
Van Aert will kick off his season at the Clásica Jaén before heading to Portugal for the Volta ao Algarve. He will also race at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the traditional Belgian season opener.
As in previous years, he hopes to finally claim victory at either the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. However, the biggest news for his 2025 campaign is his decision to race the Giro d’Italia for the first time. Could this be the year Van Aert secures his first Monument win since 2020?
What’s next?
With many top riders yet to start their seasons, February and March will be crucial in shaping the rest of the year. The wheels are turning, and the season is in full swing, with plenty of big storylines already developing.
Pogačar’s return to the Tour of Flanders could be a major highlight will we see him and Van der Poel reignite their 2023 battle? Can Van Aert finally break through in the cobbled classics? How long will it take for Evenepoel to regain his top form? And as always, Vingegaard will quietly prepare for the Tour de France, where he hopes to reclaim the yellow jersey.
The season is just beginning, and there’s plenty more action to come.
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