How inaccurate were my predictions for 2025? Let’s dive into it!
Let’s face it: I was almost entirely off the mark, and honestly, who wants sports to be dull and predictable anyway?
Wiebes. What an absolute legend.
At the close of 2024, Joe Lindsey and I collaborated to forecast what the 2025 season would look like, and I must say, I’m quite pleased that I got nearly every prediction wrong. The unpredictability of sport is precisely what makes it thrilling! My misguided predictions about the 2025 season only highlight how exhilarating the actual events turned out to be. So, with that in mind, I’m ready to venture some new predictions for what we might witness in 2026.
2025 WorldTour Predictions: Which Riders Will Stand Out?
Making predictions can seem a bit foolish at times; however, that is exactly what makes the process enjoyable. In this first part of our 2025 forecasting, we’ll examine which athletes are likely to bring excitement to the upcoming season.
First, let’s revisit the five forecasts I made before the start of the 2025 season:
How soon will Anna van der Breggen return to the top of the podium?
Before the racing season kicked off, I anticipated that it wouldn’t take long for Van der Breggen to start winning again. This expectation stemmed from reports from her teammates indicating she was outperforming them in training, as well as her impressive second-place finish at The Traka 100k, where she finished just behind her SD Worx-Protime teammate Marie Schreiber.
It didn’t take long for Van der Breggen to grace the podium once again. She secured third place in the opening stage of Setmana Valenciana, marking her return to competition. However, it wasn’t until May that she clinched her first victory – winning the fourth stage of the Vuelta a España Femenina.
Remarkably, that would turn out to be Van der Breggen’s only win for the year. Nevertheless, achieving second in the individual time trial at the World Championships, finishing third in the European road race, securing third overall at the Vuelta, and coming in second at Strade Bianche represents an outstanding performance for her comeback year.
Throughout the season, Van der Breggen raced more frequently than fellow cyclist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, partly due to Ferrand-Prévot’s injury at Strade Bianche. Throughout the entire season, Van der Breggen demonstrated greater consistency, showcasing her readiness to compete at a high level once more.
Looking ahead to 2026, I predict that the former world champion will achieve more than just one victory next year. The latter part of the previous season was when she truly excelled, so it’s clear she’s becoming more comfortable with her return to competitive cycling. Additionally, SD Worx-Protime is likely to focus more on her role in leading the team for general classifications in 2026, especially with Lotte Kopecky’s future in the general classification still uncertain.
How quickly will Pauline Ferrand-Prévot adapt back to road racing?
In comparing the comebacks of Van der Breggen and "PFP," I speculated that Ferrand-Prévot would find it more challenging to readjust to the road peloton. While Van der Breggen had been away from racing for a while, she remained closer to the competitive scene than Ferrand-Prévot. Furthermore, having coached and guided Demi Vollering to victory in the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, she had valuable insights into the current dynamics necessary for success in the sport.
