Published October 19, 2025 04:20PM
It seems farcical, given the valid deals they have with the Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto teams, but riders’ union president Adam Hansen has revealed he rather than team management has been forced to break the news to some riders that they don’t have contracts for next season.
Both teams recently confirmed they would merge in order to meet the financial demands needed to field a pro team in 2026.
However with a maximum of 30 riders possible on such a team and 44 under contract, the math does not compute.
It means at least 14 riders will be forced to look elsewhere, something CPA president Hansen is not happy with.
That’s bad enough, but with Hansen saying those teams did not actual inform those riders that they are to be cut, he is even more frustrated.
“The Vuelta was stressful enough, and it feels like it only just ended, yet here we are again with another major issue,” the former pro said in a long post on social media.
“At the CPA, we’re not really happy with this situation. Everyone knows there are 44 contracts between the two teams, but only 30 spots available. Riders not knowing whether they’ll have a job next season, especially this late in October, is exactly what we don’t want.
“I’ve had a call with the UCI and both teams together, and I’ve requested a clear list of the 30 riders who will remain, as well as the 14 who won’t. On that note, I do want to thank the UCI for this.
“The teams deserved to know their situation, and they should have known months ago.”
‘What upset me was so many riders were uncertain’
Arnaud De Lie is one of those who will be part of the merged team (Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
There is pressure every year for a number of the riders in the peloton to find new contracts for the following season. With many riders trying to step up to higher divisions and also talented young riders coming through, demand is always greater than supply in the sport.
But things are particularly difficult this year given the recent news that Lotto and Intermarché will become one squad, and that Arkéa-B&B Hotels will stop.
That has created a lot of stress within the marketplace yet despite the pressure any riders seeking a deal will encounter, it seems that either Lotto, Intermarché-Wanty, or both haven’t taken the time to tell those who won’t be extended that they are on the way out.
In fact, according to Hansen, in some cases riders were reassured they were safe when this wasn’t actually the case.
It has now fallen on him to break the bad news to the riders, which appears bizarre.
“I asked the team’s rider representative to post a message in the team’s WhatsApp group, asking riders to contact me individually if they wanted to know where they stood,” he said. “I will not share the list publicly.
“What truly upset me is how many riders were uncertain about their future. Even more disappointing was having to tell some of them that they don’t have a contract for next year, especially when they had been told otherwise.
“In some cases, even their agents believed they were secure because that’s what the teams had communicated.”
‘We need to work closely with the UCI’
Biniam Girmay has been linked to a possible move to another team but may also be set to stay (Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
It seems incredible that such miscommunication could take place. Being left stranded and finding out too late to secure another slot could have serious effects on some riders and their families although, as Hansen notes, the national laws should at least insulate those concerned from short-term financial loss.
“Under Belgian law, the team must pay out the riders’ full contracts, and that is clear,” he said. “But that’s not what the riders signed up for. They signed to be WorldTour riders and now some of them won’t be.”
But even if those riders receive a pay cheque for 2026, they could miss out on a year of competition and be left in a very difficult situation. And even if they do manage to find a team, they may not have the same level of racing they would otherwise have benefited from.
Hansen notes it is the first team merger that he has had to deal with during his time as CPA president and he said he has learned a lot from the experience. But while he thanks Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty for working hard to complete the merger agreement, he is clear that some things were not done correctly.
“The CPA should not be the one delivering this kind of news, and not in October. It was heartbreaking for me personally,” he said.
“This experience makes it clear that we need to work closely with the UCI to create a stronger protocol, one that truly protects riders in these situations.
“At the moment, teams simply inform the UCI that their riders are ‘okay.’ But in reality, there are more than five riders without a contract for next season, and some only found out when I told them directly.”
Hansen wants things to improve for the future. He underlines the need to brainstorm at the next CPA Steering Committee meeting to improve protections for riders in such situations.
Once such idea may be to put the onus on teams to ensure those concerned will not be left short.
“Thinking out loud, perhaps a merger should only be approved if the team can prove that every riders either has a confirmed place within the new team or has been offered a position elsewhere,” he suggested.
“Simply informing an agent is not enough.”
Hansen’s full statement can be found here