First WorldTour pro from Uruguay: Thomas Silva joins XDS Astana Team

Uruguayan professional cyclist Thomas Silva will ride for the XDS Astana team from the 2026 season. The 23-year-old rider has signed a two-year contract and will therefore ride for the Kazakh WorldTour team until the end of 2027. Silva, who is currently still under contract with the Spanish ProTeam Caja Rural - Seguros RGA, has continued to develop in recent years and is considered a versatile rider with strengths in hilly one-day races and a powerful sprint. In the 2025 season, he won the mountain classification of the Vuelta a Andalucía and a stage at the Tour of Qinghai Lake, where he also finished second overall. The move to the WorldTour team XDS Astana represents the next logical step in the career of the reigning Uruguayan champion.

>> Cycling transfers: The changes of the top teams

>> NSN Cycling Team: Scott - Return to the UCI WorldTour

>> Ina-Yoko Teutenberg: "Of course I also have to be the boss"

>> New route: Eschborn-Frankfurt cycle race gets tougher

Silva's reaction to the change

Thomas Silva himself is highly motivated about his move to the WorldTour: "I am very happy and excited about the opportunity to take the big step into the WorldTour with a team as renowned and rich in tradition as XDS Astana. I'm looking forward to joining the team, I'm eagerly anticipating the new season and my motivation is at the highest level! There's a lot of work ahead of me, but I'm ready to give my all to continue improving as a professional rider," explained the Uruguayan at the signing ceremony. For Silva, the move not only means a promotion to the highest category of cycling, but also the chance to prove himself on the international stage against the best riders in the world. As one of the few South American riders in the WorldTour peloton, he will also take on an important ambassadorial role for cycling in his home country of Uruguay.

Outlook for the 2026 season

With the switch to the WorldTour, Thomas Silva will face new challenges from the 2026 season. The Uruguayan will have to prove himself in a much stronger environment and will be able to rely on the support of his new team-mates and support staff. The racing programme for Silva is likely to be based on his strengths, with a focus on hilly one-day races and shorter stage races. For the XDS Astana team, the signing of Silva means a further strengthening of the squad.