{"id":392384,"date":"2026-01-06T19:54:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/392384\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T19:54:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T19:54:10","slug":"joaquim-rodriguez-has-no-doubt-about-the-winner-of-the-cycling-transfer-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/392384\/","title":{"rendered":"Joaquim Rodr\u00edguez has no doubt about the winner of the cycling transfer market"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

One transfer that dominates the conversation is Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe. For Purito, it was a move that had been telegraphed for a long time: \u201cI think people knew a hundred years ago. Before Red Bull was even born, they knew.\u201d Beyond how expected it was, he underlines the pressure that comes with the switch and the qualitative leap for the German team: \u201cFor me, it was a massive change. It\u2019s been a brutal team, they picked up a Roglic who flies. That team, Bora, is stacked.\u201d In his view, Evenepoel\u2019s arrival was the missing piece to cement the team among the very best: \u201cRed Bull were missing Remco to truly be a top team.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the same bracket of headline names is Juan Ayuso, another move that, according to ‘Purito’, had been brewing for some time. \u201cIt was also known he was going to leave, even though UAE said they wouldn\u2019t let him go for anything.\u201d He believes the move benefits all parties: \u201cI think everyone wins there. It\u2019s a triple, a win-win-win.\u201d Purito highlights the planning behind the deal and feels the Alicante native\u2019s new team nailed it: \u201cLidl signed him very well.\u201d <\/p>\n

Purito also highlights Decathlon\u2019s sharp work in the market, with additions like Olav Kooij and Tiesj Benoot: \u201cDecathlon have made two very cool signings.\u201d On Benoot, he is emphatic: \u201cHe\u2019s a top rider.\u201d In the same vein, he mentions Richie Richeze and youngsters who impressed in Grand Tours, underlining the team\u2019s financial muscle: \u201cThey have a lot of money, a huge amount, and they\u2019re making very good signings.\u201d <\/p>\n

Movistar Team signings The analysis continues with other key moves, such as Cian Uijtdebroeks to Movistar Team<\/a>. He admits the destination surprised him: \u201cThis is one that\u2026 I didn\u2019t see for anyone. Yes, to Movistar. Brutal.\u201d In this case, Purito reads it as a mutual need: \u201cI think he needed Movistar.\u201d He also stresses the rider profile and contract length as a calculated bet on the future: \u201cA foreign rider who goes very well in a Grand Tour, very young. I think they signed him for quite a while. Four years.\u201d <\/p>\n

In the Movistar block, Purito also assesses the arrival of Roger Adri\u00e0. Without placing him in the media spotlight of other names, he values his performances and natural fit in the Spanish structure: \u201cVery good rider, Spanish as well.\u201d And he adds a thought about the team\u2019s identity: \u201cMovistar is doing what it should. A Spanish rider who\u2019s strong should normally be pushed towards Movistar.\u201d <\/p>\n

In the classics and all-rounders bracket, names like Jasper Stuyven and Dylan Van Baarle appear, both heading to Soudal – Quick-Step. On Stuyven, Purito notes he is a \u201csafe bet for those Classics\u201d and sees the main challenge as carving out space: \u201cWhat he\u2019ll look for is finding his freedom.\u201d On Van Baarle, the verdict is straightforward: \u201cAlso a very good rider.\u201d <\/p>\n

One signing that really catches Purito\u2019s eye is Stefan K\u00fcng to Tudor. \u201cI really like this one. A strong time trialist…. Watch Tudor, second division, but Swiss with Swiss that usually works. He\u2019s also going to go very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"StefanKung\"\/<\/p>\n

Stefan K\u00fcng’s move to Tudor Pro Cycling Team was one noted by Joaquim Rodr\u00edguez<\/p>\n

The focus swings back to Movistar with Juan Pedro L\u00f3pez arriving from Lidl-Trek. Purito calls it a \u201cheavy novelty,\u201d especially given the rider\u2019s trajectory: \u201cHe\u2019s been a long time at Lidl Trek.\u201d He admits he liked the idea of him staying, but understands the switch: \u201cI want to see how he adapts to Movistar.\u201d For him, the environment could ease the transition: \u201cHe\u2019s a Spanish rider and will be surrounded by his people, his friends, and he\u2019ll settle very well.\u201d <\/p>\n

In the same block, Purito pauses on Ra\u00fal Garc\u00eda Pierna, another of the Spanish team\u2019s signings. In fact, he\u2019s one that excites him most: \u201cHe\u2019s the one I like the most.\u201d He highlights his character and room to grow: \u201cHe\u2019s a brave rider who\u2019ll get plenty of opportunities.\u201d He also frames the move within the chaos sparked by Arkea\u2019s disappearance: \u201cGoing from Arkea to Movistar, for both the rider and the team\u2026 Ark\u00e9a was already disappearing and something had to be done there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lotto\u2013Intermarch\u00e9 merger<\/p>\n

That backdrop of disappearances and mergers is, for Rodr\u00edguez, one of the keys to the 2026 market. \u201cBetween the Intermarch\u00e9 merger with Lotto and the disappearance of Ark\u00e9a\u2026 that\u2019s 90 riders going into just one.\u201d A situation that, he explains, puts pressure above all on riders with less profile: \u201cA top rider will always find a spot. But for those who aren\u2019t as good\u2026 it\u2019s tough for many.\u201d <\/p>\n

Another project drawing attention is Unibet Rose Rockets, a team that, according to Purito, has a clear plan. \u201cI\u2019ve liked this team.\u201d He especially values their strategic focus: \u201cWe have a budget, we need to be the best at something. We\u2019re going to be the best sprint team.\u201d In that sense, he highlights signings like Dylan Groenewegen and the addition of Marcel Kittel as a key figure in speed work: \u201cThey\u2019ve signed Kittel, the legendary Kittel, as sprint coach.\u201d <\/p>\n

In the final stretch, Purito answers a few direct questions. For him, the team that has recruited best is clear: \u201cPossibly Lidl Trek.\u201d On the other side, the most weakened: \u201cIsrael, logically.\u201d\u00a0<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One transfer that dominates the conversation is Remco Evenepoel to Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe. For…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":392385,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[445],"tags":[49,48,137379,635,166256,42478,32792,5901,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-392384","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-cian-uijtdebroeks","11":"tag-cycling","12":"tag-joaquim-rodriguez","13":"tag-juan-ayuso","14":"tag-movistar-team","15":"tag-remco-evenepoel","16":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=392384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392384\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/392385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=392384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=392384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=392384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}