Basque cycling enters reconstruction phase in WorldTour

Basque cycling is undergoing a period of reconstruction and paradigm shifts following the retirements of Ion Izagirre and Pello Bilbao, and the move of Mikel Landa back to Euskaltel-Euskadi.

As the region's representation in the WorldTour loses some of its former hierarchy, several riders from the Kern Pharma project are expected to ascend to the top tier by 2027. Ibon Ruiz is slated to join Bahrain Victorious through 2028, while Diego Uriarte is set to join Movistar until 2029. Urko Berrade is also linked to a potential move to Astana.

Additionally, Markel Beloki is expected to join Ineos in 2027, marking further movement among Basque cyclists within the professional peloton.