Esteban Chaves is still on the market for 2026. Photo courtesy of SWpix.
Everyone I talk to about the cycling transfer market at the moment keeps using the same word repeatedly: stalemate.
Following the big move for Remco Evenepoel and a flurry of subsequent activity, a number of teams have paused, taken stock and decided to see how the rest of the market unfolds. There are several factors that have contributed to that.
First and foremost, the uncertainty surrounding Arkéa – B&B Hotels. We already know that both the title sponsors and the team’s bike supplier are ending their partnership with the team for next year, and that the roster has been stripped of its best riders. However, there is increasing speculation that a second-tier team could still continue next season. Such a scenario would see a number of current free agents picked up.
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What I will say is that I’d genuinely expect at least one more high-profile transfer before the end of the year. That could be Ineos signing a GC contender, Aleksandr Vlasov jumping ship from Red Bull to Astana, or Biniam Girmay moving from Intermarché-Wanty. Several teams will be looking at what they have for 2026 and realise that what they have isn’t enough.
The merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty is another important factor. If Lotto pick up the paying agent within the new squad, then most of the Intermarché riders will be either out of a contract automatically or forced to fight over a few remaining places on the team. It’s not a great outlook for the sport, to be perfectly honest.