Unlike many other WorldTour riders, Tao Geoghegan Hart sees little point in publicly outlining grand plans for 2025 and is opting to instead take each race as it comes once the new campaign gets underway.
The now 29-year-old previously won the Giro d’Italia in 2020 and appeared to be returning to the form of his life in 2023 before suffering a broken leg in a high speed fall at the Giro that year. Geoghegan Hart won the Tour of the Alps that spring and explained in a recent media call that he had initially believed he was on track to challenge once more for the Giro GC had he not crashed out.
The London-born rider believes that he is more than capable of returning to those heights once more. But he says he is a realist and explained that he knows it will take time to reach that level again. Instead he wants to focus on the process and returning to being competitive in smaller races before he can consider bigger ambitions.
He said: "When I was a much younger rider, one of the managers in my previous team said there are basically three types of riders. There are riders who win races, riders who are learning to win races and riders who help others win races.
"This is the period of my career where I really want to be a rider that makes results. The day I broke my leg, I was 100% sure I was going to fight for the GC in that Grand Tour and that's something that's super inspiring to me. That's the reason I started this sport.
"That's the aim, to come back there. But first, there are steps before that, which is being competitive, even in smaller races. My aim is to be back competing and leading my team and leading my teammates, making a nice group around me to really try and win races in a nice way or at least to give it a good try."
Geoghegan Hart’s seven year spell at Ineos came to an end in August 2023 when it was announced that he had joined Lidl-Trek on a three-year deal. He was aiming to ride the Tour de France in 2024 with his new team before a period of illness meant he needed to change his plans.
Given all that he has experienced in the last two years he now sees little point in making big statements of intent as it traditional at this time of year and instead he believes it makes far more sense to take it step by step, starting with the Volta ao Algarve in February which will be his first race of the season.
"I really want to take the focus not necessarily race by race, but certainly to focus on the first period," he said. "That’s my big goal. At this time of year there’s a lot of headlines about people’s targets and announcements but that's the reality for me. I think it’s a little nonsensical to look past that and to start looking at big goals."
He added: "I really tried that last year after coming back. We were already talking about the Tour with the team before I’d even ridden the bike. It was super inspiring at the time but now it feels like a more logical approach is just to focus on getting back to my best."
Ultimately, Geoghegan Hart hopes to continue to be a positive influence within his new surroundings at Lidl-Trek and to help push the team on wherever he can.
"It would be super nice to get some wins," he continued. "I would like to be here next year and see that the team recognizes me as someone who's contributing at races, leading the team, doing that off the bike as much as on it. That's important for me. It's about feeling like the purpose is being fulfilled."
