Some riders rise through polished WorldTour development team pathways. Others carve their own, harder road – learning the craft race by race, season by season, until the results become impossible to ignore. In 2025, Ben Granger completed that long climb from promising British amateur to one of the most consistent and dangerous British riders competing abroad.
Racing for Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente, he built on years of steady progress in Italy to deliver his most complete season yet. His year opened with victory at Firenze–Empoli, Italy’s traditional season curtain-raiser – a win taken in bitter cold and driving rain, where he proved he could execute a plan, win from a reduced sprint, and handle the pressure of a marquee national race. It was the latest evolution of a style he once described to The British Continental as “controlled aggression”: instinct matched with timing.
That early success was followed by an exceptional run. He finished 6th in the Giro della Città Metropolitana di Reggio Calabria, a UCI 1.1 race before his breakthrough victory at the Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic on home roads. Wins at Giro del Montalbano and Giro del Valdarno followed. His performances were no longer flashes – they were a body of work.
But the defining moment came deeper into the season, at Coppa Sabatini (1.Pro). Making the early break, reading every acceleration correctly, and surviving a field stacked with WorldTour riders, Granger rode to third, behind Isaac Del Toro and Benjamin Thomas – comfortably one of the best British results of the year.
“For me it was definitely my podium at Coppa Sabatini,” Granger tells The British Continental of his season-defining moment. “I knew I was in my top form and had belief I could be at the sharp end of if I executed perfectly, but to actually pull it off on the day and prove to myself that I’m capable of being there on my best day if I’m smart was really rewarding and motivating for the future too.”
The judges echoed the significance of that ride, and the significance of his route to it. One judge noted:
“He knew it was getting make or break for turning professional and admitted he needed to get better, and he’s smashed that this season. He proved he can win from a small group in February, took his chance and soloed home at the CiCLE, rode a really good race tactically at the Trofeo Cittia di Brescia, and was 3rd in the [Coppa Sabatini] race, battling well with Del Toro and Benjamin Thomas after being in the early break.”
Granger’s rise has been shaped not just by physical development, but by maturity forged over three full seasons in Italy. Earlier this year he spoke about the importance of mindset:
“I’d say it’s the mental side – reframing situations, getting the most out of myself every day, and seeing that reflected across a season in tangible results.”
His February interview also showcased how far he’s come. He reflected on the lessons learned from wins like Lancaster Grand Prix (2024) – where a perfectly timed late attack delivered his biggest UK victory – and spoke of the cold-weather triumph at Firenze–Empoli, where he adapted his approach, joined the early move, and found a new way to win. He talked about learning from illness, adapting over the winter, and growing in an environment he now feels at home in.
Image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
Three seasons in Italy have transformed him. 2025 was the year the wider cycling world finally saw it.
That consistency, adaptability and progression has now earned Granger a step up to the professional ranks, signing with Team SolutionTech–Vini Fantini for 2026 – a move he embraces.
“I’m really excited to improve in a new environment and step outside my comfort zone after three years with Mg.K Vis,” he says. “The calendar is a massive step up – I can’t wait to test myself in new races and really see what it’s about.”
For his UCI victories, his .Pro podium, his relentless presence in the biggest races available to him, and his inspirational story of persistence:
Ben Granger is the 2025 International-Based Rider of the Year.
A rider who has earned every step – and is ready for the next.
A hat tip to the other two shortlisted riders. Noah Hobbs and Callum Thornley produced excellent seasons overseas and, in another year, either could easily have taken the award.
Featured image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
Some riders rise through polished WorldTour development team pathways. Others carve their own, harder road – learning the craft race by race, season by season, until the results become impossible to ignore. In 2025, Ben Granger completed that long climb from promising British amateur to one of the most consistent and dangerous British riders competing abroad.
Racing for Mg.K Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente, he built on years of steady progress in Italy to deliver his most complete season yet. His year opened with victory at Firenze–Empoli, Italy’s traditional season curtain-raiser – a win taken in bitter cold and driving rain, where he proved he could execute a plan, win from a reduced sprint, and handle the pressure of a marquee national race. It was the latest evolution of a style he once described to The British Continental as “controlled aggression”: instinct matched with timing.
That early success was followed by an exceptional run. He finished 6th in the Giro della Città Metropolitana di Reggio Calabria, a UCI 1.1 race before his breakthrough victory at the Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic on home roads. Wins at Giro del Montalbano and Giro del Valdarno followed. His performances were no longer flashes – they were a body of work.
But the defining moment came deeper into the season, at Coppa Sabatini (1.Pro). Making the early break, reading every acceleration correctly, and surviving a field stacked with WorldTour riders, Granger rode to third, behind Isaac Del Toro and Benjamin Thomas – comfortably one of the best British results of the year.
“For me it was definitely my podium at Coppa Sabatini,” Granger tells The British Continental of his season-defining moment. “I knew I was in my top form and had belief I could be at the sharp end of if I executed perfectly, but to actually pull it off on the day and prove to myself that I’m capable of being there on my best day if I’m smart was really rewarding and motivating for the future too.”
The judges echoed the significance of that ride, and the significance of his route to it. One judge noted:
“He knew it was getting make or break for turning professional and admitted he needed to get better, and he’s smashed that this season. He proved he can win from a small group in February, took his chance and soloed home at the CiCLE, rode a really good race tactically at the Trofeo Cittia di Brescia, and was 3rd in the [Coppa Sabatini] race, battling well with Del Toro and Benjamin Thomas after being in the early break.”
Granger’s rise has been shaped not just by physical development, but by maturity forged over three full seasons in Italy. Earlier this year he spoke about the importance of mindset:
“I’d say it’s the mental side – reframing situations, getting the most out of myself every day, and seeing that reflected across a season in tangible results.”
His February interview also showcased how far he’s come. He reflected on the lessons learned from wins like Lancaster Grand Prix (2024) – where a perfectly timed late attack delivered his biggest UK victory – and spoke of the cold-weather triumph at Firenze–Empoli, where he adapted his approach, joined the early move, and found a new way to win. He talked about learning from illness, adapting over the winter, and growing in an environment he now feels at home in.
Three seasons in Italy have transformed him. 2025 was the year the wider cycling world finally saw it.
That consistency, adaptability and progression has now earned Granger a step up to the professional ranks, signing with Team SolutionTech–Vini Fantini for 2026 – a move he embraces.
“I’m really excited to improve in a new environment and step outside my comfort zone after three years with Mg.K Vis,” he says. “The calendar is a massive step up – I can’t wait to test myself in new races and really see what it’s about.”
For his UCI victories, his .Pro podium, his relentless presence in the biggest races available to him, and his inspirational story of persistence:
Ben Granger is the 2025 International-Based Rider of the Year.
A rider who has earned every step – and is ready for the next.
A hat tip to the other two shortlisted riders. Noah Hobbs and Callum Thornley produced excellent seasons overseas and, in another year, either could easily have taken the award.
Featured image: Milan Josy/The British Continental
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