Alan Hatherly, a seasoned mountain biker and Olympic medalist, is now pursuing success on the road with Team Jayco-AlUla. Although he has been cycling competitively for years, his transition to road racing began recently, fueled by his desire for new challenges and long-term goals. After competing in the South African National Championships with EF Education-EasyPost’s development team, Jayco-AlUla saw his potential and welcomed him to the WorldTour.
Hatherly made an immediate impact, finishing sixth overall at the AlUla Tour and winning the South African national time trial title. His mountain biking career remains impressive, having won the 2024 World Cup title and earned a historic bronze medal at the Paris Olympics the first African to medal in the men’s Cross-Country event.
With his sights set on Olympic gold in Los Angeles 2028, Hatherly has a four-year plan, which includes competing in Grand Tours by 2026 and 2027 to elevate his performance. Despite his limited road racing experience, team analysts view him as a punchy climber, well-suited for long climbs and stage races.
Hatherly acknowledges the challenges of adapting to road racing but is eager to discover his strengths. He plans to split his calendar between road and MTB events, racing on the road from January to May before transitioning to mountain biking for World Cup events. Already familiar with European racing circuits from his time living in Andorra, he will work with his team to decide on a base for his road season.
While he respects multi-discipline stars like Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel, Hatherly chooses to carve his own path rather than emulate them. He hopes his journey inspires other mountain bikers to explore road racing, challenging the perception that riders from other disciplines are too old to transition.
For now, his short-term goal is to secure a top-10 finish in a one-week stage race by the end of 2025, using his road campaign to build confidence and experience for future Olympic glory.
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