‘There’s a thousand faces all shining bright – and those golden faces are under 25’, sang Paul Weller in The Jam classic ‘In the City’. The song’s sentiment was that young people have something to contribute, and they deserve to be seen and heard.
This appears to be manifesting itself in bike racing right now, because while all eyes remain glued to champions like Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel, who not long ago at all were the young generation themselves (and still are hardly old), a new batch is emerging. And, even in the face of cycling’s biggest talents, they are refusing to go quietly.
James Shrubsall
Having been at Cycling Weekly for over two decades, and cycling a little bit longer, James is in a good position to tell you what’s good and what isn’t in the world of bike riding.
A mere grasshopper even in comparison to his young peers above at 19, the French Decathlon CMA CGM rider this week netted his first professional victory, following a 2025 replete with close-run-things and a win at the prestigious U23 Nations Cup stage race, the Tour de l’Avenir.
His win atop the climb to Foia in the Volta ao Algarve was especially interesting, given that he outgunned two of stage racing’s biggest established names: Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) and Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates). Ayuso he outsprinted on the line; Almeida was a second back. But three and five seconds behind this trio, living up to their billing as ones to be closely watched, were none other than Onley and Seixas’s team-mate Riccitello. Del Toro, meanwhile, has also been doing his thing this week at the WorldTour-ranked UAE Tour, winning a lumpy first stage and placing second on the stage three summit finish behind Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious).
Underlining his all-round ability, the day after his victory Seixas placed fourth in a flat time trial stage at the Volta ao Algarve, bested by the winner – TT supremo Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers – to the tune of just 12 seconds, and with Ayuso and U23 world TT champ Jacob Soderqvist nestled in-between just seconds apart. A rider this good on the climbs and in the time trials this young demands attention.
Onley, newly signed to Ineos Grenadiers, has made no secret of his Tour de France aims. Del Toro is also down to ride the French race, while Riccitello’s programme says he will be at the Vuelta a España and Seixas is currently keeping his Grand Tour options open.
But we won’t have to wait till the summer for this troupe of youthful cycling wizards to show their magic in the big races: Seixas is due to ride Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, while Del Toro will also be at Strade, plus Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo. Onley rides Paris-Nice and Riccitello the Volta Cataluyna, both WorldTour races.
The stage is set for a new new generation. As Weller’s lyrics continued, in a parting shot that could be directed at the established stars: “They’re gonna tell you about the young idea… you better listen now you’ve said your bit.”
