Alan Hatherly (Jayco AlUla) fought to finish an impressive 13th overall at Tirreno-Adriatico, as he continued to fast-track his career change from mountain world champion to proven WorldTour road rider.
The South African has had to take risks and learn fast to survive in the peloton but his physical talents showed on the final two hilly stages at Tirreno-Adriatico. Hatherly was riding in tandem with Andrea Vendrame but was given the green light to ride for himself. He gained precious seconds on the GC contenders with sixth place in the opening time trial and then dug deep on the dirt road final to San Gimignano and on the steep Marche climbs of the final stages.
He was 16th on Saturday’s final hilly stage and so will ride into San Benedetto del Tronto in 13th place, 2:53 down on Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). He is set to finish ahead of Michael Storer (Tudor), Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-Easypost).
“I did what I could in the final of the stages. I’m just missing a few watts to hang on to the front group, but I was happy with my rides,” Hatherly told Cyclingnews.
“I was able to stay up there all week, so I thought I might as well keep trying.”
Hatherly made his WorldTour debut in 2025, kicking off his road palmares with two podium spots and sixth overall at the AlUla Tour. He was also 11th and 17th at the Arctic Race of Norway and Tour of Guangxi, learning and improving with every race.
“I learned a lot last year, and it’s been a lot easier and smoother this season. I wouldn’t say I know everything yet, I’m still learning, but enjoying the process,” he told Cyclingnews.
“I just need a bit of time and if I can continue at the same rate of progression, I’ll be super happy.”
Hatherly won two mountain bike titles and other World Cup races. He won a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games but was ready to challenge himself on the road, even if it meant long hours of road training and dangerous, risk-taking racing, often in the cold and rain or the heat of the European summer.
“That was all the point of changing to a road project, to be challenged, to be out of my comfort zone, so I can grow and develop as an athlete,” Hatherly explained.
“I’m getting exactly that. Everything is a challenge and I’m enjoying that a lot.”
Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel have the advantage of growing up racing on the road and occasionally racing mountain bikes at the highest level. Hatherly’s career change is in the opposite direction and so far more testing.
“I’m a bit late to the road, so obviously the catch-up progress is harder. I’m learning to embrace the inherent risk of road racing,” he said.
“As a mountain biker, you take risks but you’re in control of your risks. In road racing it’s so much about positioning and the risk is completely out of your control. You put yourself in a position in the peloton and hope for the best, that nobody in front of you crashes. That took quite a lot of mental work for me to overcome. My bike skills are good but there’s nothing you can do about the other riders.”
Hatherly’s impressive result at Tirreno-Adriatico went a long way to securing him a place in the Jayco AlUla team for this year’s Giro d’Italia.
He will ride the Coppi e Bartali stage race in late March and then likely prepare for his Grand Tour debut. Any plans to return to mountain bike racing in 2026 will probably be put back until the summer World Cup races.
“I’m on the long list for the Giro to Italia, so I’ve geared my pre-season around making the Giro team. Hopefully I can seal the deal at Tirreno-Adriatico and so head to the Giro,” Hatherly said.
“It’ll be a whole new adventure for me. It’d be about trying to survive three weeks in a Grand Tour. It’s a completely massive project but it’ll be super exciting to try the next step in my road career.”