Team Picnic PostNL have agreed to part ways with Oscar Onley after accepting a late transfer offer for the Scottish pro. This brings an abrupt end to one of the team’s fastest success stories. The move follows Onley’s standout Tour de France, where his rise from development rider to fourth overall put him squarely on the radar of several rival squads.
According to the team, interest in buying out Onley’s contract arrived almost immediately after July. Those approaches were initially turned aside as Picnic PostNL made clear they wanted to keep the 22-year-old through the remainder of his deal. That stance shifted only recently, when a fresh proposal landed that was simply too significant — both sporting and financial — to ignore.
Not exactly a picnic
The timing is far from ideal for the Dutch team, who acknowledge Onley’s departure will be felt in the short term. Losing a proven Grand Tour contender so close to the new season leaves a gap that cannot be instantly filled. Still, the team insists the transfer does not undercut its broader ambitions, pointing instead to its development pipeline as evidence that more top-level riders are already on the way.
Onley’s trajectory has been central to that argument. Developed in-house, he progressed steadily through the ranks before announcing himself on the sport’s biggest stage this summer. For Picnic PostNL, his transfer is framed not as a failure to retain talent, but as validation of a system designed to identify, nurture, and ultimately elevate riders to the elite level — even if that sometimes means letting them go.
Transfer season
The deal also provides a financial lift, one the team says will be reinvested to support future growth and competitiveness. While Onley’s next chapter will unfold elsewhere, Picnic PostNL are keen to underline that their plan remains unchanged, and that more riders are poised to follow a similar path to the top.
“I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved with this team. Progressing through from the Development program to finishing 4th at the Tour de France has been incredible, and a real testament to what this team is able to do with riders,” Onley said. “Both Team Picnic PostNL and INEOS Grenadiers have a great history of racing for victories in Grand Tours, and I know for a fact that both my current and new team will continue to do so in the coming years. The opportunity to represent the team of my home country was one I could not refuse and I’m happy that a solution was found. I’ll hold the memories made with this team close, and I know I’ll face tough competition from the next generation of talents they develop in the years to come.”
Team Picnic PostNL head coach Rudi Kemna added that, “Our team is all about getting the most out of our riders, and we have a credible track record of doing so. What Oscar has achieved this year is testament to that. We of course would have loved to have kept Oscar but knowing the young riders in our team and those coming through our Development program, we’re confident that the next generation is on the brink of becoming world-class riders.”
The 2026 season is around the corner with plenty of moves in the pro peloton…