The 2026 cycling season is underway, and for Antoine Huby, it's a race against time. 'I'm not giving up, I still believe in it,' he declared, embodying the determination of a young cyclist fighting to keep his professional dream alive. Huby's story is a testament to the challenges faced by riders without a contract, as the professional peloton rolls back into motion with January training camps and the first races of the new campaign approaching. Teams are already focused on performance, logistics, and objectives for the year ahead, leaving little room for late-market movements.
Huby's journey began with great promise. As an amateur, he built a strong reputation through results that marked him out as one of France's most interesting stage-race prospects. In 2023, he finished second at Liege-Bastogne-Liege Espoirs and claimed overall victory at the Course de la Paix, performances that helped open the door to the professional ranks. However, the transition to the WorldTour proved more complicated than expected.
The young Frenchman found opportunities limited and continuity hard to establish. Results that had come naturally at the under-23 level did not immediately translate among cycling's elite, and the margins for error were slim. Despite these challenges, Huby's commitment has not wavered. He continues to train with the same routine and intensity he would follow under contract, believing that his development is not complete and that the level he showed as an amateur has not yet fully emerged in the professional peloton.
Huby's ambition for 2026 is not about specific races or results. It's about staying in the sport he believes he has not yet finished exploring. His mission is clear: find a team and keep the professional dream alive. But here's where it gets controversial... Is it realistic to expect a team to sign him without a proven track record in the WorldTour? And this is the part most people miss... Huby's story highlights the challenges faced by young riders without a contract, and it invites us to question the support systems in place for these athletes. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with Huby's approach? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
