A rundown on all the ins and outs in the women’s peloton for 2026. Photo courtesy of SWpix.

The first point to note is that this has been a relatively slow market, especially when compared to last year when we saw a huge wave of blockbuster transfers involving Demi Vollering, Elisa Longo Borghini, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Marlen Reusser.

This season has been characterised by domestiques changing teams and squads using the market to transition their rosters for the future. There have been external factors that have made massive impacts too, such as the uncertainty over the future of Arkéa – B&B Hotels Women and the demise of CERATIZIT Pro Cycling Team.

That’s left teams in a position, as with the men’s side, where they can wait until the end of the campaign before picking up bargains on the transfer market. Just like on the men’s side, this summer is very much a period that’s being dictated by the teams, and dozens of riders are scrambling for jobs.

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Another factor that has not been widely reported is the significant increase in costs associated with travel and race programmes for the existing teams. We’ve heard of teams facing a 20% jump in expenses compared to last year, and even for the richest WWT squads out there, that’s a massive consideration. In some cases, it means that some teams have decided to retain their existing numbers from this year, or even shrink by one or two riders. Not only that, but some teams are looking at reducing the race calendar for next season. The average roster size was around 17 riders in 2025. It’s likely to be closer to 16 next season.

Finally, one other element I’ve picked up on is the lack of a market for sprinters this season. Yes, we’ve seen Charlotte Kool annul her contract, but a lot of WWT teams simply aren’t in the hunt for fast finishers. If you look at the recent Simac Ladies Tour, you can understand why, with Lorena Wiebes winning five out of six stages and the overall. There’s such a huge gap between the Dutch rider and the chasing pack that teams are hesitant to pay lofty prices for riders who will be consistently beaten.

Now, let’s go through all the major teams one by one…