2025 MEN'S SEASON PREVIEW

The riders, races and rule changes set to shape the WorldTour season ahead

- Adam Becket, Tom Davidson, Simon Richardson, James Shrubsall and Tom Thewlis

Alpecin-Deceuninck

Belgium

2024 WorldTour wins: 15

Team boss: Christophe Roodhooft

Team leader: Mathieu van der Poel

Raison d'etre: More than a one-man team these days thanks to Japser Philipsen and Kaden Groves, but still a Mathieu van der Poel vehicle

It is still hard to look past the flying Dutchman himself, Mathieu van der Poel, when it comes to Alpecin-Deceuninck, with the 29-year-old dominating the Classics last year, winning both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, and appeared unbeatable in the spring. When MvdP isn't winning, Jasper Philipsen and Kaden Groves have proven themselves as two of the top sprinters in the world, with the former in particular unmatched when on form. They do still rely on Van der Poel, who has hinted at his dislike of the Tour de France - not ideal when it's the sport's biggest race. The team have brought in four riders from their development team, including U23 CX world champ Tibor Del Grosso.

Bahrain Victorious

Bahrain

2024 WorldTour wins: 3

Team boss: Milan Eržen

Team leader: Pello Bilbao

Raison d'etre: A mixed bag of a team, with solid riders for the Classics and stage races, but arguably lacking in star quality