From controversy at the 2025 Giro d'Italia to Team Jayco AlUla: De Bondt changes teams

Rome, 15 August 2025 - When you think of the 2025 Giro d'Italia , the first protagonist that comes to mind is certainly not Dries De Bondt , who finished 128th in the general classification. Yet, the Belgian has been much talked about in the weeks following the Colle delle Finestre stage, the one that effectively turned the entire race around Simon Yates : between the interested party's open-hearted confessions and the subsequent referral by the UCI , the crossroads for De Bondt was potentially key to his entire career, until today's news that he will be signing a two-year deal with Team Jayco AlUla starting in January.

What happened to De Bondt on the Colle delle Finestre?

The Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team rider had admitted to pulling for Richard Carapaz , and consequently also for Isaac Del Toro , on the iconic Colle delle Finestre climb: nothing unusual, except that the Ecuadorian rides for EF Education-EasyPost and the Mexican for UAE Team Emirates-XRG . Therefore, different teams from that of De Bondt , who had reached the end of his contract and was seriously concerned about his future, to the point of putting himself in the spotlight by working for riders from other teams and even having contact with their respective sports directors. The 1991-born rider, in the now infamous interview with WielerFlits , had also admitted direct contact with Ken Vanmarcke , sports director of EF Education-EasyPost : at the centre of the chat, needless to say, were fears for his own future, including an implicit request to join Carapaz 's team. The UCI has brought the matter before the Ethics Commission , called upon to rule on the possible violation of articles 8.1 and 2 of Annex 2 , but in the meantime De Bondt , a professional attacker and winner of a stage at the 2022 Giro d'Italia , has found a team for the future: to be precise, Team Jayco AlUla, therefore nothing to do with what happened on the Colle delle Finestre .

"I've always considered this team to be one of the most exceptional and inspiring on the World Tour , a team that rides with heart, ambition, and a clear identity. That's why I'm incredibly proud and excited to join them. From next season, I'll proudly wear the beautiful Team Jayco AlUla jersey, ready to give it my all and tackle the Classics with commitment and determination. It's a true honor to be part of this team, and I hope to enjoy the journey over the next two years. I'm looking forward to growing with this team and," De Bondt concluded, "creating our future successes together." General Manager Brent Copeland commented on the Australian team. "We're delighted to welcome Dries to the team for the next two years. He brings a wealth of experience from a long and distinguished career, and his knowledge and racing style will be a valuable and invaluable addition to the team."

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Tour of Italy