Former triathlete Javier Romo achieves his first professional victory

The manchego Javier Romo, who was once a great promise of duathlon and triathlon in Spain, has taken a historic step in his career by winning his first victory as a professional cyclist in the Tour Down Under 2025.
With this victory, the 26-year-old rider from Villafranca de los Caballeros has become the leader in the prestigious Australian round, adding another milestone to his sporting career.
🔥 A late attack after the summit of Knotts Hill, and it's a maiden professional win for 🇪🇸 Movistar's @romoliver_99!!
📺 Stream the race now on 7plus: https://t.co/k2Exq3FDwl@efex_IT | @santosltd#TourDownUnder #CouchPeloton pic.twitter.com/jLhZ9qO1pC
— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴♀️ (@tourdownunder) January 23, 2025
A past linked to triathlon
The sporting passion of Javier Romo started in the world of triathlon. During the months following the pandemic in 2020, he combined cycling races with duathlon and triathlon, making it clear that his performance on the bike stood out at a high level.
The proof of his talent was evident in August 2020, when he conquered the Spanish Under-23 Road Cycling Championship, beating specialists in the discipline and astonishing the Spanish fans.
Romo, who already showed remarkable speed and strength in the duathlon and triathlon transitions, decided to definitively bet on cycling when, in December 2020, he announced that he was leaving triathlon to sign for the professional team Astana PRO Team.
It was there that he remained for three years, assimilating the demands of the WorldTour circuit and participating in important stage races.
The change to professionalism in cycling
In October of 2023, Romo changed his surroundings and ended up in the Movistar Team, the Spanish squad led by Eusebio Unzue.
This signing was a great incentive for the rider and, at the same time, a vote of confidence from the team in relying on his qualities as a climber and adventurer. Last summer, he competed in the Tour de France for the first time wearing the colours of Movistar, demonstrating remarkable consistency and confirming that the decision to sign him was no coincidence.
In the context of the 2025 season, the Tour Down Under was to be one of the important tests to measure the form of the riders looking to start the year with outstanding results. J
Javier Romo He arrived in Australia determined to prove that this campaign could be his consolidation. And he did not disappoint: with an attack that took place 5 kilometres from the finish line in the third stage, the Spanish cyclist gained an advantage of around 25 seconds that allowed him to raise his arms alone and enjoy his first professional victory.
The new leader's jersey
With the joy of victory and the satisfaction of opening his WorldTour palmares, Javier Romo He is heading into the final stages of the Tour Down Under wearing the leader's jersey.
Now he faces the final stretch with the pressure of defending this precious piece of clothing, knowing that the fourth stage is, in theory, less demanding and could be resolved in a bunch sprint. The greatest difficulties will come on the final day, when the climb to Willunga Hill usually decides the overall winner at this Australian round.
🗣️ « It's so important, for me, for my family, for my team. I can't believe it »
– 🇪🇸 @romoliver_99🎤 The first words from today's @efex_IT Stage 3 winner ⤵️
📺 Stream the race now on 7plus: https://t.co/k2Exq3FDwl@efex_IT | @santosltd#TourDownUnder #CouchPeloton pic.twitter.com/TqaGcvN6r0
— Santos Tour Down Under 🚴🚴♀️ (@tourdownunder) January 23, 2025
The cyclist from Villafranca de los Caballeros, who recently turned 26, celebrated this success by highlighting the support of his teammates:
“I am very happy, my team believed in me and I can't thank them enough. When I launched the attack I felt strong, and everything worked out perfectly.
"I've worked hard this winter and I'm coming here with the intention of giving my best. It's incredible to get my first win, so I can't ask for more at this moment," said the man from La Mancha.
The goal of keeping the leader's jersey will be on Romo's mind, although he will have to measure each attack from his rivals in the coming stages.
In any case, the former triathlete has already left his mark on a WorldTour event, and this achievement becomes part of the history of an athlete who aims very high in international cycling.