Classics revelation Laurence Pithie set to join Bora-Hansgrohe in 2025

Laurence Pithie will race for Bora-Hansgrohe in 2025, having agreed terms on a multi-year deal with the German squad.

Riders cannot officially sign for new teams until the UCI transfer deadline is lifted on 1 August but GCN understands that the New Zealand rider will wear Bora-Hansgrohe colours next season amid interest from several other WorldTour teams.

Pithie, 21, came through the ranks at Groupama-FDJ’s U23 programme and turned professional in 2023 with the French WorldTour squad. He had a highly respectable first year in the elite ranks, winning Cholet-Pays de la Loire and claiming several minor placings. But 2024 has seen the rider’s value skyrocket, starting with a win at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

He backed that up with several impressive outings in the Spring Classics, helping to form the winning break in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, before picking up eighth in Le Samyn, several top-10s in Paris-Nice, and then playing several more cameo roles during the remainder of the cobbled Classics. He will now skip Paris-Roubaix before targeting his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia.

• Read more: ‘It’s shocking and cool but I want more’ – Laurence Pithie interview

Several teams have been linked to Pithie since his U23 days, including UAE Team Emirates and Jayco AlUla but GCN understands that Bora-Hansgrohe made the winning approach just before Milan-San Remo, and other teams were unable to compete.

The German squad have been bolstered by investment from Red Bull, who took over a 51 per cent stake in the team earlier this year. The team were still hoping to sign Remco Evenepoel until even just a few months ago but with the Belgian categorically locked in with Soudal Quick-Step for at least the next two years, they have turned their attention towards locking in new talent and re-signing existing deals.

Aleksandr Vlasov, as reported by GCN in March, has signed a new three-year deal with the team, while Jai Hindley is also expected to put pen to paper on a new deal. The team have been linked with a move for Jasper Philipsen but that seems to have cooled in recent weeks. 

Pithie, however, would add major steel to the Classics department at Bora-Hansgrohe as they look to challenge the best teams in the world. Matteo Sobrero had a strong Milan-San Remo, coming within a few hundred meters of victory before being swallowed up and finishing 12th, while Jordi Meus, Nico Denz and Marco Haller all had decent spring campaigns. Pithie, who is still developing, would add a proper focal point for the team over the coming years.

GCN reached out to Pithie's agent, who refrained from making a comment.

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