From McEwen to Abrahamsen: 20 Years of Grand Tour Success for Belgian Cycling Factory

For over twenty years, riders on Belgian Cycling Factory bikes have been prominent in the biggest cycling tours in the world. Sprint victories in the Giro, thrilling battles for the general classification in the Tour de France, and aggressive attacks in the Vuelta: BCF bikes perform at the highest level across all terrains.

Robbie McEwen gives Ridley its first Tour de France stage victory. ©Photo News

A tradition that began with McEwen and Evans

The first major successes came with Robbie McEwen between 2005 and 2007. The Australian sprinter won fourteen stages in both the Giro and the Tour during this period, all on Ridley bikes. As a highlight, he also took the green jersey in the 2006 Tour. He played a key role in establishing Lotto-Davitamon’s presence in the peloton during that period.

Shortly after, Cadel Evans became one of the most consistent GC riders of his generation. In 2007 and 2008, he reached the podium in the Tour de France and wore the yellow jersey for several days, also on Ridley bikes. General classification riders could rely on the reliability and performance of Ridley bikes.

©Photo News

In 2008, Greg Van Avermaet claimed his first Grand Tour stage win in the Vuelta and immediately took the points classification on a Ridley bike. In the following season, Sergei Ivanov (Team Katusha) took a Tour de France stage win.

Successful years with Lotto and AG2R

In the years following these early successes, Belgian Cycling Factory continued to deliver impressive results, especially through the Lotto and AG2R teams. The Lotto team remained loyal to Ridley bikes, on which sprinters like André Greipel and Caleb Ewan delivered numerous stage victories. In addition, attackers and GC riders such as Thomas De Gendt and Tim Wellens made a strong impression with notable performances. They not only took stage wins but also wore leader’s jerseys on several days in major tours like the Tour and the Vuelta. De Gendt even secured the mountain jersey till the end of the Vuelta.

Thomas De Gendt's polka dot bike – Tour de France 2016 ©Photo News

At the same time, AG2R opted for Eddy Merckx Bikes, another brand of Belgian Cycling Factory. With riders like Romain Bardet and Nans Peters, the team achieved remarkable success in the Tour de France. Bardet rode strongly in the mountains classification and secured the polka dot jersey in 2019. Peters distinguished himself as a pure attacker and took a Tour stage victory. AG2R’s results underline that racing at the highest level was also done on Eddy Merckx bikes.

Romain Bardet wins the polka dot jersey – Tour de France 2019 ©Photo News

Thanks to world-class equipment and close collaboration with top teams, Belgian Cycling Factory established itself as a reliable force in the pro peloton, delivering results across different type of stages.

A legacy that continues

Today, Ridley and Eddy Merckx Bikes proudly carry on the Belgian Cycling Factory tradition with a new generation of talent. In this years Tour de France, Uno-X Mobility riding on the new Ridley Noah Fast 3.0, repesented our brand with flair. Tobias Halland Johannessen impressed with a sixth-place finish in the GC, while Jonas Abrahamsen claimed a phenomenal stage win, clear proof that our fast equipment still makes the difference.

Tobias and Anders Johannessen ride Tomorrowland Ridleys – Tour de France 2025.

Twenty years after those first major victories, Belgian Cycling Factory remains a trusted partner at the highest level of professional cycling. Not only through marketing, but through consistent dedication, close communication with teams and ongoing research and development. A formula that has translated into top results for two decades — and counting.

Twenty years in numbers

For over twenty years, riders on Belgian Cycling Factory bikes have made their mark in the biggest cycling races worldwide. During this period they have claimed 65 stage victories and worn leader’s jerseys for a total of 72 days. They have also achieved notable results in the overall classifications, with two podium spots and five top-10 finishes. The results highlight BCF’s impact in Grand Tour racing, from sprints to mountain stages and even GC results.

Discover the full BCF-Grand Tour timeline