From grid to peloton: MotoGP rider Espargaro set for pro cycling debut at 35
Aleix Espargaro thought he had retired from Grand Prix racing last year but the 35-year-old is now leading a hectic double-life as he prepares to race a MotoGP bike this weekend before trading horsepower for pedal power at the Tour of Austria.
The Spaniard hung up his leathers after two decades of Grand Prix racing last year but he had no plans of putting his feet up having joined Lidl-Trek earlier this year in an ambassadorial role while joining Honda as a test rider.
But Espargaro now has to contend with a whirlwind schedule, set to climb aboard the factory Honda machine for this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix in Assen before swiftly pivoting to professional cycling just 10 days later.
"I am really delighted to be able to help Honda and work with the factory team this weekend in Assen. Lots of riders dream of being in the factory Honda team," Espargaro said in a statement.
"To be able to do this now is a real surprise and pleasure – even if it is temporary ... I have good memories at Assen and it will be very interesting to see the Honda there."
Espargaro's unexpected return to racing comes as he fills in for Luca Marini, who remains sidelined after a testing crash in Japan. The appearance in Assen follows earlier wildcard rides at the Spanish and British Grands Prix.
He will then swap his MotoGP leathers for the cycling jersey at the July 9-13 Tour of Austria, where he will be part of Lidl-Trek Future Racing, the team's development squad.
Cycling has been Espargaro's passion for years after he hopped on the bike to stay in shape and recover from injury. He also befriended pro cyclists before participating in training camps with Lidl-Trek.
"I've grown a lot as a cyclist and learned many things in these six months. I'm feeling good, and I really can't wait to race and test my legs against some of the best cyclists in the world," he said.
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Women's Euro 2025 team profiles
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But Sarina Wiegman's squad is a solid mix of veterans and youth, with 13 members of the victorious 2022 Euro team plus several promising young players such as Aggie Beever-Jones and Michelle Agyemang. And England have shown they can step up on the big occasions, finishing runners-up to Spain at the 2023 World Cup. Finland Finland's fortunes will depend on the fitness of forward Jutta Rantala, who has been troubled by a knee injury for much of the season leading up to the Euros, where they will face Norway, Iceland and hosts Switzerland in Group A. The knee injury suffered by Leicester City striker Rantala is one of many knocks suffered by the Finns in recent months, but their defensive solidity and ability to attack down the wings will make them a threat in the group. France Les Bleues manager Laurent Bonadei raised some eyebrows when he left longtime captain Wendie Renard and all-time leading goalscorer Eugenie Le Sommer off his Euros squad signalling a changing of the guard. He said "As Einstein said: 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.'" Forward Kadidiatou Diani is the most experienced player in their absence for a French team aiming to get past the quarter-final stage, having been eliminated in the last eight at last year's Olympics and the 2023 World Cup. They reached the semi-finals at the 2022 Euros where they were ousted by Germany. France head to Switzerland on a run of seven consecutive wins. Germany The Germans once ruled European women's football, winning the European title eight times -- including West Germany's victory in 1989 -- and reaching the final nine times. After a shock group-stage exit at the 2023 Women's World Cup they are showing they are once again a team to beat, going undefeated in the Nations League this year. 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They will look to forward Karolina Vilhjalmsdottir to continue the good form that saw her net four goals in six games in their recent Nations League campaign. Italy The Azzurri arrive at Euro 2025 knowing that consistency will be key if they are to make a mark on the tournament, where bookmakers are grouping them among the potential dark horses alongside the likes of hosts Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. Runners-up in 1993 and 1997, Italy haven't made it out of the group stage at the last two Euros, but a draw with Spain and a win over Germany in two friendlies late in 2024 showed that the Italians are more than capable of holding their own against the top teams. The problem coach Andrea Soncin faces is keeping his team on its toes. A solid 1-0 win over Wales got their Nations League campaign off to a good start earlier this year, but they were then beaten by Denmark and Sweden before securing two wins and a draw in their last three games to finish second. 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Norway The last Euros in England saw the Norwegians slump to one of their worst defeats as they were hammered 8-0 by the hosts en route to an underwhelming group-stage exit, and though they will be hoping to bounce back in Switzerland, they will face a tough task. In captain Ada Hegerberg, Caroline Graham Hansen and Guro Reiten, the Norwegians boast some of the world's best attacking players, but a leaky defence has proved their Achilles heel for the last few years. The lack of naturally left-footed defenders contributed to their last-16 exit at the last World Cup, and the omission of left back Julie Blakstad, who was outstanding for Swedish side Hammarby in their recent Champions League campaign, was a surprise. If coach Gemma Grainger can find a way to solidify the left side of defence and get the most out of the injury-plagued Hegerberg, the Norwegians should have enough weapons in attack and midfield to make an impact. 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Spain The world and Nations League champions head to Switzerland as favourites to win the competition, with bookmakers placing them ahead of England, France and Germany as the most likely victors. Orchestrated by Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Spain's possession-based style is made possible by a squad bristling with technically gifted and tactically intelligent footballers in every position, but though they have often been superb since beating England to win the 2023 World Cup final, results over the last year have shown that they can be beaten. After a disappointing Olympic tournament in Paris last year that saw them lose to Germany and Brazil, former player and current coach Montse Tome has faced questions about her tactical choices and coaching, and a 1-0 defeat by England in the recent Nations League campaign did little to assuage that criticism. 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