{"id":323442,"date":"2025-12-02T20:14:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T20:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/323442\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T20:14:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T20:14:08","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8-ranking-the-top-100-cycling-transfers-ahead-of-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/323442\/","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8 Ranking the top 100 cycling transfers ahead of 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Juan Pedro L\u00f3pez has moved from Lidl-Trek to Movistar. Can he find his best form after several quiet seasons? Photo courtesy of SWpix.<\/p>\n

The transfer market rarely moves in straight lines, and this year has been no different. Teams have balanced long-term projects with short-term needs, dipped into the U23 and junior development ranks for talent, and taken calculated risks on riders who needed a change of environment.<\/p>\n

The result is a window defined by quiet, structural decisions as much as blockbuster moves for the likes of Remco Evenepoel and Juan Ayuso. <\/p>\n

As we begin our ranking of the top 100 transfers ahead of 2026, the first group – from 100 to 71 – reflects that blend of potential, pragmatism and opportunism.<\/p>\n

For background, I\u2019ve included U23 promotions in the list, which has been whittled down from a database of around 200 male riders from the WorldTour and ProTour levels, with a few exceptions added. <\/p>\n

There are still a few riders unsigned, such as Derek Gee and Sam Welsford, but we\u2019ve cut the rankings from Dec 1. If a major move takes place in the coming days, we\u2019ll revisit the list. The next batch of riders will be published in the next two days.<\/p>\n

As ever, thank you for your continued support on the Substack.<\/p>\n

Daniel \ud83e\udef6<\/p>\n

Follow me on: Twitter<\/a> \ud83d\udfe2 \u2014 Instagram<\/a> \ud83d\udd34 \u2014 Bluesky<\/a> \ud83d\udd35<\/p>\n

100 – Gleb Syritsa \ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddfa
From: XDS Astana Development
To: TeamXDS Astana Team<\/p>\n

The Russian was demoted from Alexander Vinokourov\u2019s WorldTour team at the start of the year but makes a welcome return for 2026. This year wasn\u2019t great for the 25-year-old, with just one win to his name, but in 2.Pro level races he can hold his own. He\u2019ll have a tougher race programme over the coming season, but this is a second chance that he can\u2019t afford to pass up.<\/p>\n

99 – Elmar Reinders \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1
From: Team Jayco AlUla
To: Unibet Rose Rockets<\/p>\n

Reinders joined Jayco to lead out Dylan Groenewegen in the sprints, and he\u2019s following his teammate across to Unibet Rose Rockets for next year. At 33, he still has plenty to give, and he\u2019ll bring experience no matter how 2026 pans out. Ultimately, however, lead-out riders are judged on how well their sprinters finish the job, so if Groenewegen looks good, then so will Reinders.<\/p>\n

98 – Alessandro Pinarello \ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf9
From: VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizan\u00e8
To: NSN Cycling Team<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve had a strange transfer window, have NSN when you consider some of the extensions they handed out and the fact that they doubled down on their sprint core. They don\u2019t have anyone for GC unless Derek Gee comes back. On the fringes, though, they\u2019ve picked up another climber with Pinarello joining. He\u2019s young, 22, finished top-ten in the Giro Next Gen a couple of years ago, and looks decent but not spectacular. If he can learn from the likes of George Bennett and company, he should find the transition to WorldTour relatively straightforward. <\/p>\n

97 – Dries De Bondt \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea
From: Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team
TO: Jayco-AlUla<\/p>\n

We know that Jayco-AlUla needed more cover in the Spring Classics, where they\u2019ve been light in recent years, unless Michael Matthews has been on song. With a limited budget, the team didn\u2019t have a huge amount of wiggle room, hence the signing of Dries De Bondt, who, at 34, is a bit of an all-rounder, who, of course, won that Treviso stage in the Giro d\u2019Italia a few years ago. Age is a factor, but he does bring experience. The question I have is, who is he going to impart that knowledge to?<\/p>\n