Impressive scouting by Jayco-AlUla: Can the British newcomer live up to the hype: "I'm aware I'm a late bloomer"
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Follow us on GoogleA great transfer for Paul Double. The British climber, who has been steadily climbing the ranks in cycling over the last few years and achieved several notable results this season in smaller tours, sees his progress rewarded with a top transfer. Jayco-AlUla has signed the climber for two years. This season he rode for Polti-Kometa. Double's career is reminiscent of Bart Lemmen's, who made his Tour debut last July riding for Visma | Lease a Bike.
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Double, too, is a late bloomer at 28 years old. He also rode for Human Powered Health, just like Lemmen. And now Double is making his move to the WorldTour. This season, he achieved a podium finish in the Tour of Turkey, won by Frank van den Broek, and also recorded top-ten finishes in the tours of Abruzzo and Slovenia. These performances have caught the attention of WorldTour teams.
Jayco-AlUla believes in Double: "Can make a mark on the WorldTour"
"We have followed Double and his progress for a wile, and he is a rider we are adding to strengthen our climbing group for 2025. He is a talented climber and domestique, but he will also have his own opportunities to achieve results with us, in smaller races and even one-day races with tough finishes. He has experience, and it will be great to see how he transitions to the WorldTour environment and what more he can achieve," the Australian team's website reads.
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Double himself is thrilled with the transfer. "I'm very excited to sign with Team Jayco AlUla for 2025 and 2026. It's a proud moment for me personally to join such an established WorldTour team after the somewhat interesting path I've taken to get to this point. This team feels perfect for me; I didn't want to join just any WorldTour team."
"I'm a climber and have always done well in stage races, but also in hilly races," said Double, who also reflected on his unusual development. "I know I entered the sport later than most, but I also see my trajectory as a rider positively increasing at a pace I didn't experience in my younger years. That’s why I'm grateful for this opportunity."
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
