Many World Tour riders are still at this point in time looking for a contract for 2026 and this includes high-level riders who are capable of leading positions almost anywhere in pro cycling. However many are not guarranteed a presence in the World Tour and the peloton but one team has seemed to have become the most attractive over the past few months: Unibet Rose Rockets… And the French outfit has been linked to two more World Tour riders whom they could potentially sign.One is Fernando Gaviria. Now past his prime which came with the Quick-Step team and saw him bring many world-class victories, in recent years the Colombian has raced for Movistar and has struggled to achieve meaningful results. He has not been renewed as the team focuses on Orluis Aular as its main card for the flat races, but Gaviria hasn’t found a team yet for 2026 and taking into consideration the context of his career, it’s not assured that he will continue it.
However according to Italian journalist Beppe Conti, who spoke on Rai Sport, there are three teams who have interest in him – all ProTeam level outfits. However, more modest teams where he could still find leadership and racing opportunities at a smaller level where he could find his confidence back and potentially net some more wins. It’s Unibet, Cofidis (now demoted from World Tour level) and Caja Rural – Seguros RGA.
Gaviria at the 2025 Tour de Pologne. @Imago
Will Unibet sign potential UCI points gold mine? The other is Clément Venturini, as reported by Velo-club.net. The 32-year old was caught in the demise of Arkéa – B&B Hotels but his current situation is very surprising taking into consideration that the Frenchman is a cyclocross specialist (one of France’s very best, if not the best) and from 2027 onwards the discipline’s points will contribute to the road team’s UCI points tally – which is extremely important for several teams.
The Frenchman is also in no way past his prime, having finished in the Top10 of nine French and Belgian classics this year, bringing him close to the UCI’s Top100 point scorers. He is the current French national champion in cyclocross and as recently as the 2023 World Championships, he was fourth only behind Mathieu van der Poel, Laurens Sweeck and Joris Nieuwenhuis.
Unibet has signed Dylan Groenwegen, Elmar Reinders and Wout Poels from the World Tour already – within other transfers that are meaningful for the team – and after Victor Lafay’s arrival to the team (a rider who was considering retirement) there are serious arguments for the French team as a structure where the environment is different and a change from the rigid World Tour professionalism that has burnt out countless riders over the past few years. At this point it seems more like budget could be the restraint for further transfers, not the riders’ motivation to join a second-division project.