Team News
EF Education-Aevolo ready for its biggest challenge yet at the Giro d'Italia Next Gen
Our stellar five-rider squad is ready for its team debut in the prestigious Italian U23 race
June 13, 2025
This weekend, our EF Education-Aevolo team will head to Italy for their most exciting adventure yet as they embark on the Giro d'Italia Next Gen.
The eight-day stage race, which runs from June 15 to 22, is widely recognised as one of the most respected and challenging races on the U23 circuit.
Competing as a five-rider team, EF Education-Aevolo will target stage wins and breakaways and head to the race with a top-notch roster that’s brimming with confidence following a string of victories in April and May.
Noah Hobbs, a winner of six races already this season, will lead the line in the sprint stages, while the recently crowned US national U23 road champion, Gavin Hlady, will wear his Stars and Stripes jersey for the first time this season following his win last month in Charleston, West Virginia.
The remainder of the team is packed with climbing talent, with Joshua Golliker, Miguel Ángel Marín and Ian Lopez aiming to light up the race with an aggressive mindset.
“Being on the start line for the Giro d'Italia Next Gen, for me, is just confirmation that the team is growing,” said Head Sports Director, Mike Creed.
“We’re going to lead with Noah Hobbs, who is currently the best sprinter in the U23 ranks. I think that’s pretty clear. He’s been performing since February and winning, so he’s in with a good shout. The rest of the team has also shown form at various points throughout the year. Gavin won U23 nationals and was third in the pro race, and he can be one of our key stage hunters,” added Mike.
“Ian has worked hard to build towards this race, and he’s a terrific climber who gives us a lot of options. Then we have Josh, who has shown some excellent form this year and is capable of being a real protagonist, and last but not least, Miguel has come good recently. It’s a really strong and talented roster. Racing the Giro d'Italia Next Gen is a landmark moment for our team, but the riders won’t be distracted by any sentimentality. They all want to win,” said Mike.
The Giro d'Italia Next Gen kicks off on Sunday with an 8.4km individual time trial before Noah will have his first real opportunity for success on stage 2. The riders won’t have to wait long for the mountains, with the first summit finish coming on stage 3 to Passo del Maniva. Three more intermediate stages follow before the second summit finish at Prato Nevoso. The race concludes with a tough stage that starts and finishes in Pinerolo.
For Gavin Hlady, the race is the pinnacle of the U23 season, and he’s thrilled to be representing the team on its Giro debut and to wear the US national road champion’s jersey for the first time.
“Personally, I feel that I’ve maintained my form since nationals. It’s been a while, and of course, we’ll see how the legs hold up on stage 1, but I’m in a good place. As for the team as a whole, our primary goal is to win a stage or even multiple stages, particularly with Noah. We’ll also have opportunities to target breakaways, and that’s exciting. This is probably the biggest race I’ve ever participated in. We’re confident that we can perform as a team, and this is an incredibly exciting moment for everyone involved. Again, on a personal level, I’ve had this race marked on my calendar all year,” Gavin said.
A unique aspect of the race is that a whopping 33 teams will be on the start line in Rho on Sunday. Gavin believes that such a dynamic could assist EF Education-Aevolo in their pursuit of glory, and confidence is high within the ranks after such a strong set of results over the last few months.
“With the smaller teams, I think we’re going to see some stacked breakaways, and that’s going to be an advantage for us,” Gavin said.
“We’re going to have to measure our efforts, but all the road stages present us with opportunities to show the EF Education-Aevolo jersey on one of the biggest stages imaginable. And of course, I get to wear my national champion’s jersey and show the colors to all our fans. This will be the first time that I’ve had a chance to wear the jersey in a race, and it’s honestly what I’m most excited about.”