EF Education-EasyPost have completed their roster for the 2024 season with the signing of young Japanese climber Yuhi Todome from their EF Education-Nippo Development Team, which is reportedly set to fold.
Todome's step up to the WorldTour team continues a trend of younger signings for the American squad, with seven of their 10 new signings still under the age of 22 and set to ride their first full season at cycling’s top level.
The squad’s average age is just over 25, but they will be led in 2024 by experienced heads such as Richard Carapaz (30), Alberto Bettiol (30), Rui Costa (37) and Rigoberto Urán (36), with Carapaz spearheading the charge at Grand Tours.
Their young talents will look to emulate Neilson Powless, who's grown significantly in ability since joining the team as a 23-year-old, and Ben Healy who this season had a breakthrough at 23 with a stage win at the Giro and a brilliant Ardennes Classics campaign.
“Our 2024 roster is noticeably younger than in recent years. We have several riders making their WorldTour debut with us so Yuhi will fit in nicely,” said team CEO Jonathan Vaughters.
“We wanted the last spot on the roster to be a rookie who can take advantage of the experience and knowledge of his veteran teammates and in Yuhi, we’ve found that.”
Todome rode for the development team for two seasons, during which he also raced with the WorldTour team as a trainee at the 2022 Tour de Langkawi where he supported Hugh Carthy to a second-place finish.
It was an emotional move for the 21-year-old Japanese student who is currently on a leave of absence from Tokyo’s Chuo University to focus completely on his cycling career.
“Dreams come true! I’m so happy to be riding with such a wonderful team,” Todome said. “I know that the mission of a WorldTour team is difficult but I will give my best effort!
“My family cried upon hearing the news that I will join EF Education-EasyPost, they have been supporting me since the day I started racing.”
With the development team set to fold, only three of the riders currently have teams for 2024. Todome, Michael Valgren, who moved back to the WorldTour side after being demoted following long bouts with injury, and young Czech rider Jakub Ťoupalík who will ride for Czech Continental team Elkov-Kasper.
The development team have existed since 2021, but are yet to confirm whether they are folding for 2024. All signs are pointing to the end of the team, with Todome the only rider to make the step up to the WorldTour as Vaughters confirmed that the roster is complete.
The WorldTour squad is set to wave goodbye to a swathe of riders, then, in addition to Magnus Cort (Uno-X), Jens Keukeleire (retirement), and Julius van den Berg (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL).
Jonathan Caicedo and Diego Camargo are set to move to Mexican Continental team Petrolike, while other riders including Andrey Amador, Merhawi Kudus, Odd Christian Eiking, Owain Doull, Lukasz Wisniowski, James Shaw, Tom Scully, and Sean Quinn have not yet announced their 2024 destinations.
