Alpecin-Deceuninck rider with Visma training says goodbye to the WorldTour: "Not the path I want to follow"
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Follow us on GoogleAlpecin-Deceuninck will go into the next season with two German riders, instead of the four the team had in 2024. After Jason Osborne — who is returning to e-cycling — Maurice Ballerstedt has also decided to leave the WorldTour, despite a few strong years with the team of the Roodhooft brothers.
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The Berlin-born Ballerstedt received his training with the Jumbo-Visma development team in 2020 and 2021, where he caught the attention of Alpecin-Deceuninck. In 2019, he impressively finished second in the Peace Race and took second place at the European Junior Championships, while a stage win and overall victory in the Tour du Pays Montbéliard were his best results in his final year as a U23 rider with the Dutch team.
At Alpecin-Deceuninck, he became an important part of the sprint train for Kaden Groves over his three seasons there, although he still managed to achieve some individual results. For example, he participated in the Vuelta the past two years, where he finished sixth in a stage in 2023. This season, he also placed second in the bunch sprint at the Tour of Limburg, finishing between top sprinters Dylan Groenewegen and Arnaud De Lie.
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WorldTour not the path Ballerstedt wants to follow
Despite this, Ballerstedt decided to leave the WorldTour. "After much consideration, I decided for myself that the WorldTour is not the path I would like to follow," the 23-year-old German announced on social media. "Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this amazing journey. Starting in 2025, I will be taking on a new chapter in cycling, racing, and bringing you along on the journey," said Ballerstedt, who has not yet revealed what he will do next.
He rode his last race kilometers for the Belgian team in the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro on October 3, a few weeks after completing his second Vuelta.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026