António Morgado
António Morgado (born 28 January 2004 in Caldas da Rainha, Portugal) is one of the most promising young talents in the peloton. Racing for UAE Team Emirates – XRG, he stepped into the WorldTour in 2024 following an impressive junior and U23 career, including silver at the 2023 UCI U23 World Championships. Morgado is known for his climbing ability and aggressive race style, marking him as a rider to watch for the future. Find António Morgado’s latest results, stats and race calendar on this page.
Biography of pro cyclist António Morgado
António Morgado is the rider Portuguese cycling has been waiting for: a genuine classics talent on one of the strongest teams in the world. Still in his early twenties, he combines power, racecraft and an appetite for the toughest one-day races.
UAE Team Emirates–XRG have made no secret of their belief in him, with management describing their trust in the young Portuguese as "endless." That backing has positioned him as a long-term project aimed at the cobbled Monuments.
Early life and rise in Portugal
Born in January 2004, Morgado came through the junior and under-23 ranks as a standout talent, earning a move into the UAE Team Emirates system. His blend of size, power and bike-handling marked him out early as a rider suited to the northern classics rather than the Grand Tours.
He stepped up to the WorldTour for the 2024 season, an unusually fast progression that reflected the confidence the team placed in him.
Breakthrough classics debut in 2024
Morgado's first WorldTour spring was a revelation. He took second at Le Samyn in the early-season opening weeks, then backed it up with a superb fifth place at the Tour of Flanders, one of the standout results by a neo-pro at a Monument in recent memory. Across the cobbled campaign he showed he could mix it with the established stars of the discipline.
By the end of his debut season he had amassed a string of UCI victories and built a reputation as one of the most promising classics riders of his age group.
A difficult 2025
The 2025 season proved far tougher. Health problems disrupted his preparation and form, and Morgado himself was candid in describing it as "a bad year." Rather than dent his standing, the setback sharpened his motivation, with the rider openly stating he had something to prove heading into 2026.
Rider profile: strengths, style, and characteristics
Morgado is a classics specialist in the powerhouse mould, strong on the cobbles, durable over long, attritional one-day races, and capable of holding position in the chaotic finales of the cobbled classics. He is at his best on the demanding parcours of the Flemish spring, and projects as a rider who could contend at the very biggest one-day races as he matures.
Personal life
Morgado has earned a warm reception from Flemish fans, embracing the heartland of the classics where he does much of his best racing. He carries the hopes of a Portuguese cycling public eager for a new flag-bearer on the international stage.
Records and milestones
- 2nd, Le Samyn (2024)
- 5th, Tour of Flanders (2024), standout neo-pro result at a Monument
- Multiple UCI race wins as a young professional
- WorldTour rider with UAE Team Emirates–XRG
What's next for António Morgado?
With his sights set on a strong cobbled campaign, including Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders, Morgado heads into 2026 determined to rediscover his 2024 form. If he stays healthy, the combination of his talent and his team's unwavering support makes him one of the most exciting classics prospects to watch.
