U23 Riders to Watch: The Next Pogacar or Evenepoel Could Be Racing Now

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Before we look at the next wave of Grand Tour contenders, we need to understand what makes today’s benchmark so extraordinary. Tadej Pogačar isn’t just winning races—he’s redefining what’s possible in professional cycling.

The Making of a Phenomenon: Tadej Pogačar’s Journey

Born in September 1998 just outside Komenda, north of Ljubljana, Pogačar’s path to cycling supremacy started unexpectedly. He was passionate about football during his elementary school years, but his trajectory changed when his older brother Tilen started training at the ROG Ljubljana cycling club. The nine-year-old Tadej followed, and after his first race in 2008, he never looked back.

What separated Pogačar from his peers even in junior racing was his natural talent combined with an attacking mentality. In 2018, he won the Tour de l’Avenir—the unofficial “junior Tour de France”—signaling what was to come. At just 20 years old in 2019, he became the youngest cyclist to ever win a UCI World Tour race at the Tour of California, then stunned the peloton with three stage wins and third overall at the Vuelta a España.

Why Pogačar Is So Dominant

Unlike many modern riders who calculate every effort, Pogačar is known for his trademark long-range attacks. His 100+ kilometer solo break to win the 2024 World Championships—and again in 2025—harked back to the Eddy Merckx era of cycling.

In 2024, he became only the third male cyclist in history (after Merckx in 1974 and Stephen Roche in 1987) to achieve the Triple Crown: winning the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and World Championship Road Race in the same year. Bernard Hinault said after witnessing it: “He’s like me and Merckx.”

His 2025 season has been equally remarkable: 8 one-day race wins including 3 Monuments, another Tour de France title, and a 40% win rate—meaning he won nearly every other race he entered. At just 26 years old, he reached 100 professional victories during Stage 4 of the 2025 Tour de France.

Merckx himself declared after the 2024 Worlds: “It’s obvious that he is now above me.”

The Next Generation: 4 Young Riders Who Could Challenge for Grand Tour Glory

So who among the current generation of young riders has the potential to eventually challenge Pogačar’s dominance—or succeed him as cycling’s next superstar? Here are four names every cycling fan should know heading into 2026.

1. Pablo Torres (19, Spain) – UAE Team Emirates

The heir apparent at Pogačar’s own team

Madrid-born Pablo Torres may be the most exciting prospect in the WorldTour. UAE Team Emirates signed the 19-year-old to an unprecedented six-year contract through 2030—making him the rider with the longest deal in the peloton.

Torres’ junior credentials are exceptional. At the 2024 Tour de l’Avenir, he set a new record time on the Colle delle Finestre—one of Italy’s most brutal Alpine climbs—winning the final stage by nearly four minutes. He finished second overall at that race and also claimed second at the Giro Next Gen.

What makes Torres unique is his late start. He never planned to be a cyclist—injuries forced him away from football at age 12, and cycling was initially just rehabilitation. “I started to ride my bike because, in football, I had some problems with my knees,” he explains. Now he trains alongside Pogačar, João Almeida, and Adam Yates.

“I am only 19 years old and it is always difficult to get a result in this sport,” Torres has said. “I have a lot of things to learn.” But with UAE’s patient development plan and world-class support, he has time to grow into a Grand Tour leader.

2. Florian Lipowitz (24, Germany) – Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe

The biathlete who became Germany’s GC hope

Florian Lipowitz has one of cycling’s most unusual origin stories. He was originally a competitive biathlete who used cycling for summer training. A knee injury forced him to increase his bike work, which brought him to Dan Lorang, performance director at BORA-hansgrohe. By 2020, he’d switched fully to cycling.

His progression has been remarkably fast. In 2025, his first-ever Tour de France, Lipowitz didn’t just finish—he claimed third overall in the General Classification and won the white jersey as best young rider. It was the first time a German had reached the Tour podium since 2006.

Coming into the Tour, Lipowitz’s role was supporting Primož Roglič. But bold attacks, particularly on the Hautacam stage, rewrote expectations. His pre-Tour results—runner-up at Paris-Nice, 4th in the Basque Country, 3rd at the Critérium du Dauphiné—had already suggested something special was brewing.

At 25, Lipowitz represents Germany’s brightest hope for a future Tour winner. Whether sharing leadership with Roglič or eventually going it alone, his trajectory points upward.

3. Lenny Martinez (21, France) – Bahrain Victorious

The heir to 40 years of French waiting

Not since Bernard Hinault in 1985 has a Frenchman stood atop the Tour de France podium in the maillot jaune. Lenny Martinez has declared publicly: “I want to win the Tour de France.”

Born into cycling royalty—his father Miguel, grandfather Mariano, and uncle Yannick were all professional riders—Martinez moved from Groupama-FDJ to Bahrain Victorious in 2025 as part of “Project Lenny,” a dedicated multi-year effort to develop France’s next Tour winner.

His 2025 season showed the potential. Three WorldTour stage wins at Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie, and the Critérium du Dauphiné demonstrated his climbing prowess. At Romandie, he won the queen stage, temporarily led the GC, and finished second overall—ahead of both Jay Vine and Remco Evenepoel.

The 2025 Tour was a learning experience; Martinez struggled on the opening stage, finishing last, 9 minutes behind. But he’s only 21, and Bahrain’s Rod Ellingworth—the architect of Team Sky’s success—believes this is all part of the process.

“We believe Lenny gives us that chance,” said Bahrain’s managing director Milan Erzen. “His talent, dedication, and spirit align perfectly with our team’s vision.”

4. Joseph Blackmore (22, Great Britain) – Israel-Premier Tech

Britain’s Tour de l’Avenir champion

Joseph Blackmore made history in 2024 by becoming the first British rider to win the Tour de l’Avenir outright. The “baby Tour” has been a reliable predictor of Grand Tour talent—Pogačar won it in 2018, Egan Bernal in 2017, and Nairo Quintana in 2010.

Blackmore’s victory wasn’t a surprise to those following development racing. He can climb with the very best young riders, but unlike pure climbers, he’s also punchy enough to handle tough one-day classics. In the spring of 2025, he proved he could survive the longest, hardest races in the calendar.

At 22, Blackmore is at the stage where Grand Tour teams begin identifying their future leaders. Israel-Premier Tech has him marked as a rider to build around. If he continues his trajectory, Britain could have another Grand Tour contender within the next three to four years.

The Path Forward

All four of these riders share common traits with the young Pogačar: natural climbing ability, willingness to attack, and teams committed to their development. But becoming a Grand Tour champion requires years of refinement—learning how to peak for three-week races, managing nutrition, handling pressure, and surviving the bad days.

Pogačar himself took two years between his breakthrough Vuelta (2019) and his first Tour win (2020). Torres, Lipowitz, Martinez, and Blackmore all have time on their side.

The question isn’t whether one of these riders will eventually challenge for the yellow jersey—it’s whether any of them can reach the level Pogačar has set. Because right now, the Slovenian is racing in a category of his own.

Which of these young talents are you most excited to follow? Let us know in the comments below.