Nairo Quintana, among the cyclists without a team for 2025

With the 2025 cycling season already looming on the horizon, More than 50 World Tour riders are on the waiting list to return to the international peloton, including Colombian Nairo Quintanaa winner of Lap and Giro d’Italia.

Quintana (Cómbita, 34 years old), with 51 victories in his record, is the main rider in the UCI points classification among those who are still looking for a number for 2025, but on that list there are also other illustrious names, such as that of the Italian Elia Viviani, who will not continue at Ineos after 3 seasons.

Other relevant cyclists, such as the Portuguese Rui Costa or the Danish Valgren, managed to extend their contract with EF Education.

In the case of Quintana, the Colombian’s trajectory has been erratic since he was left without a team in 2023, after being disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France for testing positive for Tramadol.

The man from Boyacá returned to Movistar in 2024 after a period of 8 seasons in the Spanish squad and 3 at Arkea Samsic. He had a complicated start to the season due to illnesses and injuries, and in the Giro he finished in 19th place. In the Livigno stage he was second, only surpassed by Pogacar.

After going unnoticed in the Vuelta a España, his season finale was not brilliant in the Italian classics either.

Among the runners currently unemployed, Elia Viviani stands out, excluded from Ineos. Two second places in 2024 have not been enough to earn the trust of the British squad’s coaches. Leo Hayter will not continue in it either, who after suffering from depression chose not to continue.

In addition, the Spanish Rubén Fernández (Cofidis), the Colombian Esteban Chaves (EF), the Italian Matteo Sobrero (Red Bull) and the Dutch Taco Van der Hoorn (Intermarché) are on the unemployment list.

There are six runners aged 23 or younger who have not found a team, with Colombian Santiago Umba (Astana) being the youngest at 21 years old.

The teams’ commitment is focused on young riders with a future, such as the Spanish Pablo Torres, 19 years old, new to the UAE, and on the cyclists who contribute points to save the category within the WorldTour.

Of the 18 WorldTour teams, seven have the roster closed for 2025: Van der Poel’s Alpecin-Deceuninck has 29 riders, while Bahrain, Cofidis, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, Ineos, Soudal-Quickstep and Jayco-AlUla, and the ProTeams Israel-Premier Tech and Tudor have 30. Movistar has 27 cyclists on staff.

Of the riders who have signed for 2025, the average age is 27.6 years, while the average of unsigned riders is 28.6 years, highlighting men’s professional cycling’s preference for older riders. youths.