Riders to Watch: UAE Team Emirates XRG Welcomes Five New Signings for 2025

Last Update: Monday, January 20, 2025 : 10:41 (+4GMT)

From seasoned pros to rising stars, these riders are ready to make an impact in 2025

Name: Jhonatan Narváez

Age: 27 (04/03/1997)

Hometown: Playon de San Francisco, Ecuador

Memorable Performance:

Jhonatan took Stage 1 of the 2024 Giro d’Italia by storm. In a thrilling battle with new teammate Tadej Pogačar, Narvaez was able to out sprint the Slovenian to take his 2nd Grand Tour stage win and the Maglia Rosa.

Key Target Races for 2025:

• Tour Down Under

• Milano-Sanremo

• Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Get to Know Jhonatan:

Known as “El Lagarto” – Spanish for “The Lizard” – Jhonatan earned his nickname for his smooth yet aggressive attacking style.

Name: Florian Vermeersch

Age: 25 (12/03/1999)

Hometown: Ghent, Belgium

Memorable Performance:

Vermeersch’s breakout performance came in 2021 at Paris-Roubaix, where he delivered an incredible ride at the Hell of the North. After spending over six grueling hours in the saddle, he launched his sprint early but was narrowly beaten by Sonny Colbrelli, securing a commendable 2nd place in one of cycling’s most iconic races.

Key Target Races for 2025:

• Ronde van Vlaanderen

• UCI Gravel World Championships

Get to Know Florian:

As well as a respected classics rider, Florian is also a skilled gravel rider. He has claimed back-to-back silver medals at the UCI Gravel World Championships and will be looking to go one step further in 2025.

Name: Rune Herregodts

Age: 26 (27/07/1998)

Hometown: Aalst, Belgium

Memorable Performance:

Rune’s best performance came at the 2024 ZLM Tour, where he clinched the overall victory.

Key Target Races for 2025:

• Tour Down Under

• UAE Tour

• Ronde van Vlaanderen

Get to Know Rune:

A powerful time trialist, Rune has finished on the podium in the Belgian National Time Trial Championships in both 2023 and 2024. Rune will be looking to target more strong time trial performances in 2025.

Name: Pablo Torres

Age: 19 (10/11/2005)

Hometown: Madrid, Spain

Memorable Performance:

Climbing sensation Pablo Torres put the world on notice with his spectacular performance at the Tour de l’Avenir. The 19-year-old secured two stage wins, the youth classification, and an overall podium finish. He joins an elite group of UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders which includes Tadej Pogačar, Marc Soler, Adam Yates, and Isaac Del Toro, who have also graced the Tour de l’Avenir podium.

Key Target Races for 2025:

• Tour Down Under

Get to Know Pablo:

Although only 18-years-old at the time, Pablo put in an extraordinary performance on the Colle delle Finestre, smashing the legendary Chris Froome’s time by a jaw-dropping 3 minutes and 34 seconds. Torres now holds the record for the demanding climb, completing it in a time of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Name: Julius Johansen

Age: 25 (13/09/1999)

Hometown: Blovstrød, Denmark

Memorable Performance:

Julius struck gold at the 2020 UCI Track Championships in the Team Pursuit, showcasing his speed and teamwork, Johansen’s talents extend beyond the road.

Key Target Races for 2025:

• Tour Down Under

Get to Know Julius:

Before turning professional, Julius enjoyed a standout junior career, clinching the title at the 2017 UCI World Junior Championships. With his impressive junior accomplishments and a solid track pedigree, Julius is now poised to make his mark with UAE Team Emirates-XRG as he returns to the World Tour stage.

Posted by: GoDubai PR Dept
Viewed: 3129 times
PR Category: Events & Entertainment
Posted on: 20 Jan 2025 10:41:00 AM (GMT+4)

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