Tudor add Groves and Denz for 2027 as recruitment drive gathers pace

Kaden Groves says a return to the Tour de France is his priority after signing for Tudor Pro Cycling, joining the Swiss team from 2027 on a three-year deal.

"I'm eager to take the next step in my career. Returning to the Tour de France to fight for stage wins and the green jersey is at the top of my list," Groves said in the team's press release.

The 27-year-old has 21 professional wins and is one of a small group of riders with stage victories at all three Grand Tours. He took three stages and the points classification at the 2024 Vuelta a España, though this year's edition ended without a top-ten finish before he abandoned.

Nico Denz signs on identical terms. The 32-year-old German has won three Giro d'Italia stages, all from breakaways, and turned professional in 2016. He says the move had been close to happening once before.

"Three years ago I came close to joining Tudor Pro Cycling, now I'm delighted it's become a reality," Denz said. "I already know many people on the staff and among the riders from my previous teams. Tudor Pro Cycling is a dynamic, young and ambitious team, and I see opportunities to grow, contribute and share my experience."

Chief executive Raphael Meyer described both as mentors for a young squad as well as riders with something left to give.

"Nico's race intelligence, instinct for opportunities, experience and loyalty have made him a highly respected rider within the peloton. Kaden brings impressive firepower for bunch sprints, hilly terrain and tough finales," Meyer said.

They follow Arnaud De Lie, who signed in August on a four-year contract to the end of 2030. The 24-year-old leaves Lotto Intermarché after six seasons and 35 career wins, choosing a ProTeam over reported interest from Groupama-FDJ United, Alpecin-Premier Tech, Soudal Quick-Step and Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.

That leaves Tudor with an unusual concentration of fast men for 2027. De Lie and Groves arrive into a squad that already has Arvid de Kleijn, Luca Mozzato and Matteo Trentin, alongside Stefan Küng and Marc Hirschi.

The recruitment follows the team's strongest season yet. Tudor took two Vuelta stages through Marco Brenner on the Sierra de la Pandera and Küng in the Jerez time trial, and Küng finished behind Remco Evenepoel and Filippo Ganna in the Worlds time trial in Montréal on Sunday.

The team was launched in 2022 at the initiative of Fabian Cancellara and now races 47 riders from 17 nationalities across road and gravel, 15 of them Swiss.