New riders join UAE Team Emirates Gen Z

The UAE Team Emirates Gen Z team has announced the arrival of five new riders for the 2027 season: Simon Defrance (France), Václav Ježek (Czech Republic), Riccardo Lorello (Italy), José Emilio Rodríguez (Mexico), and Luca Martinez (Spain). These riders come from different stages of the development pathway, combining promising junior talents with those who have already distinguished themselves in the Junior (U23) category.

Simon Defrance's achievements

Simon Defrance, an 18-year-old French rider, joins the team after an exceptional final season in the junior category with the Soudal Quick-Step U19 team. He won the French junior road champion title after a productive season, both nationally and internationally, and achieved his best performance of his young career at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal.

Defrance's World Championship result

On the demanding circuit of Mount Royal, he won the silver medal, finishing behind Benjamin Noval (Spain). This result crowned a pivotal season that opened the door for him to move to the Junior (U23) category with Gen Z for 2027.

International expansion of Gen Z

The five new recruits further strengthen the international dimension of the "Gen Z" project, with the arrival in the development team of riders from France, the Czech Republic, Italy, Mexico, and Spain for the 2027 season.