The promising Basque will ride for our feeder squad next season
Winner of five road races this year – his last in the junior ranks – Hodei Muñoz will make the transition to the U23 scene in 2025, as part of the strong Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team, which in the last two seasons has racked up over 40 victories while sending several riders to the World Tour squad, such as Gil Gelders, William Junior Lecerf and Pepijn Reinderink.
Just 18 years of age, Hodei hails from the village of Luiaondo in the Basque Country, a region with a deep love for cycling which has produced many great riders, including Mikel Landa, who Hodei admires from a young age. This season alone, Muñoz impressed in a number of races, like the Klasika Primavera, Tour du Pays de Vaud and Bizkaiko Itzulia, and these results – together with his strong mindset and ambition to improve – have landed him a spot Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team’s roster for 2025.
“The first sport I did as a kid was football, but around the age of ten, my uncle taught me how to ride a bike and then took me to some races, where I was instantly hooked by the atmosphere. I fell in love with the sport and today I can’t see myself doing anything else.”
“I like hilly and medium-mountain races with an explosive finale, but I also dream of racing Paris-Roubaix, especially as I’ve done some cyclo-cross in the past”, explained Hodei, who last year won Spain’s inaugural Gravel National Championships, as well as the cyclo-cross junior title and the Copa España. “I’m happy to join this team, it’s a dream come true and I can’t wait to sport its jersey next year. I want to find my place there, learn and show what I’m capable of if there will be any opportunities.”
“We are delighted that Hodei will be part of our squad next year. He’s shown many promising things this season in both one-day and stage races, and we are confident we will provide him with the right environment to continue his development”, added team manager Bart Roosens.