Unleashed Astana chases Cofidis: Picnic PostNL must also watch out in exciting points battle

The year has only just begun, but the battle for UCI points is already a major talking point in the peloton. This year marks the end of the three-year cycle in which teams compete for a new WorldTeam license. The top 18 teams in the combined Team Ranking from 2023 to 2025 will be granted a license for the next three years. Many WorldTour teams are already safe and don’t need to worry, but the battle at the bottom is incredibly tight. IDLProCycling.com breaks down the current standings.

Movistar, currently 13th in the ranking, looks almost certain to retain its license. The Spanish squad has already put in strong performances this year, including a rock-solid performance at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. Movistar has already collected nearly 2,000 UCI points this season, bringing their total to 24,000 points. It would take something extraordinary for them to miss out.

From 14th place onward, things get much more interesting. Jayco AlUla, in 14th, has secured over 1,200 points this year, helped by winning the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, bringing their total to 22,540 points. Right behind them is Israel-Premier Tech with 22,050 points. Although they are currently classified as a Pro Team, they are almost guaranteed promotion to the WorldTour.

Good season for Cofidis and Picnic PostNL could be crucial

In 16th place, we find Intermarché-Wanty. Thanks to Biniam Girmay’s strong performances in the Tour de France, the Belgian squad currently holds 21,314 points and is confident they won’t be in trouble. But from this point onward, things get tense! In 17th place is Picnic PostNL, with 19,750 points. The Dutch team, led by Fabio Jakobsen and Oscar Onley, must ensure they don’t get relegated. Romain Bardet, in his final months as a professional rider, could also play a role in securing crucial points.

And then, at the all-important 18th place, we find Cofidis. The French squad has previously stated they are not afraid of relegation, and with two early-season wins from Milan Fretin, they’ve had a strong start. Still, Cofidis can’t afford to relax just yet. They currently have 19,382 points, about 3,000 more than the first team outside the top 18. But to secure their WorldTour license, they will still need several strong results this season. To achieve this, they have brought in Dylan Teuns and Alex Aranburu, both of whom will be expected to deliver key performances.

Read more below!

Current state (25-02-2025)

Three challengers that could threaten Cofidis as Astana gains momentum

There are three teams still in the hunt for promotion, posing a potential challenge to Cofidis. Arkéa-B&B Hotels currently sits in 19th place with 16,729 points, trailing Cofidis by 2,500 points. The French team, led by Arnaud Démare and Kévin Vauquelin, will do everything in their power this season to fight for a spot in the WorldTour.

And what about Uno-X Mobility? With 16,289 points, they are right behind Arkéa-B&B Hotels. In recent years, they have proven capable of delivering strong WorldTour performances, but 2025 has been underwhelming so far. However, the team has partnered with Olav Aleksandr Bu in an effort to boost results. But who has really hit the ground running? That would be XDS Astana Team. The Kazakh squad has already scored a remarkable 2,280 points this season, second only to UAE Team Emirates XRG.

They owe much of their early success to Cristian Scaroni, who dominated in France last weekend, winning both the Classic Var and a stage plus the overall classification in the Tour des Alpes-Maritimes. However, Astana still has a long way to go. Their current total stands at 16,070 points, meaning they still need to make up more than 3,000 points to catch Cofidis and secure their WorldTour status. Their strategy? Stacking as many riders as possible in the top 10 of every race they enter. And with a strong start to the season, they’re already showing serious intent.

Read more below!

Scaroni wins in France

What can Q36.5 and Tudor do in their nearly impossible task?

Below Astana, the Swiss teams Q36.5 and Tudor are also in the rankings. Tudor currently has 9,200 points and has strengthened its squad with Marc Hirschi and Julian Alaphilippe. Both riders have already shown strong performances this season, with Hirschi even securing a victory. However, promotion seems nearly impossible for the Swiss team, especially now that sprinter Arvid de Kleijn is sidelined for an extended period.

For Q36.5, the challenge appears even more unrealistic. The team currently has 7,708 points, putting them far behind the competition. Still, you never know—their new signing Tom Pidcock has already started the season well with multiple wins. It’s also important to note that neither Swiss team is aiming for promotion this year. Instead, they hope to secure wildcard invitations to major races.

Read more below!

Pidcock wins in the Ruta del Sol

Crucial spring season is just around the corner

With February nearly over, the preparatory races are wrapping up, and the Spring Classics are just around the corner. March and April will be crucial months for teams battling in the promotion and relegation fight, as many races offer significant UCI points. Most of these contending teams have reinforced their Spring Classics squads accordingly.

Uno-X Mobility, known for strong performances in the Classics, has once again bolstered its roster with riders who perform well in one-day races. The Norwegian team hopes these reinforcements will help them score more points in the spring races.

At the same time, XDS Astana Team has strengthened its Classics lineup by signing Mike Teunissen. Meanwhile, Arkéa-B&B Hotels has made an interesting decision—keeping Luca Mozzato focused on smaller races, despite his runner-up finish in last year’s Tour of Flanders. With all these developments, the next few months promise to be highly exciting. IDLProCycling.com will closely follow the races and keep you updated on all the latest news.

Read also

Thomas criticizes Red Bull, Roglic and basically half the cycling world: "Is this how it's going to be from now on?"

Van Aert loses not only Laporte but also Classics talent, Visma | Lease a Bike wraps up UAE Tour in style

After yet another Algarve incident, Vingegaard and Degenkolb say something needs to change: "Never seen anything like it before"

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe