Can you see Pavel Sivakov changing team colours for 2027? Photo courtesy of SWpix.
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There are over 700 riders on the transfer market next season, and a genuine abundance of pure climbers, top mountain domestiques, and talents available for 2027.
For this list, I’ve scoured the market for next year and identified 12 names to follow. I’ve not included riders such as Felix Gall or Ben Healy, as although they’re climbers, they’re more like team leaders. Instead, I’ve focused on the super domestique, to domestique range, with a few exceptions thrown in for good measure.
Simon Yates and Primož Roglič aren’t included due to their more recent Grand Tour wins and because their long-term futures are uncertain at present, but we do have one former Grand Tour winner on our list for his versatility.
I’ve also not included the highly rated Finn Fisher-Black, as I’ve just learned that he’s not out of contract at the end of 2026. Red Bull gave him a three-year deal when he signed at the start of 2025.
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Taking Sivakov away from his current team will be very difficult. He’s a rare rider who has the self-awareness and humility to accept that he’ll never contend for GC honours in the biggest races but is more than happy to support others, such as Pogačar and del Toro. He’s well rewarded financially, probably earning close to what some GC contenders on smaller teams receive.
At 28, the Frenchman stands at a crossroads in his career; however, if UAE Team Emirates are content with him, he’s very likely to stay put. Something truly extraordinary would be needed to pry him away at this stage. You could even see Sivakov signing a contract extension this winter and spending the next four to five years with the team. Likewise, if you’re a rival team, you’re unlikely to want to overspend when you can probably find a younger, cheaper version of Sivakov in the U23 ranks who could develop significantly in the coming years.