One can’t imagine Pidcock in another team, but a deal still needs to be signed with his current team for 2028. 📸 SWpix.
Hey Subscribers,
The Spring Classics may be decided on the road, but just as much is unfolding behind the scenes. As the peloton resets after the Tour of Flanders and heads towards Paris-Roubaix, the transfer market is quietly beginning to take shape, with teams weighing long-term strategies, riders reassessing their value, and key contracts edging towards pivotal moments.
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From Tom Pidcock’s expected extension talks at Q36.5 to Alpecin-Premier Tech’s delicate balancing act with Kaden Groves, and Visma-Lease a Bike searching for their next climbing talent, the early movements hint at a summer of calculated decisions rather than wholesale change. Add in emerging deals, agent switches, and a handful of riders positioning themselves for mid-season leverage, and the picture becomes even more intriguing.
Here’s a full round-up of the latest developments, rumours, and strategic plays from across the cycling transfer market.
The newsletter also features updates on Jai Hindley, Brodie Chapman, Tomos Pattinson, Mauro Schmid, Tibor Del Grosso, Christophe Laporte and others.
Daniel 🫶
We begin with Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, which has around half of its 30 riders out of contract at the end of the season. Doug Ryder’s team increased from 24 to 30 athletes ahead of 2026, a smart move in hindsight given that several riders have fallen and missed competitions so far this year.
Although he’s not out of contract for next year, a key priority for Ryder is extending Tom Pidcock’s deal. The British all-rounder was signed on a three-year deal at the start of 2025, so he still has a deal for next season, but Ryder is keen to tie down his leader with an extension.
It’s difficult to imagine Pidcock on another team at this stage, especially considering that he’s an ambassador for Pinarello and has everything he needs at his current team, including significant influence over his schedule and his own support crew for coaching and assistance. He also doesn’t have to compete internally for leadership, as the squad is tailored to suit his needs in stage racing and one-day events.
Nevertheless, Ryder would likely prefer to extend Pidcock’s contract before Pidcock enters the final twelve months of his current deal. An extension would bring stability for everyone, from partners to management and the team, and would also reinforce the team’s overall budget as they plan a potential transition to the WorldTour in 2029.
“Everyone is thinking about 2027, and they’re also thinking about 2028, 2029, and 2030,” Ryder told me when I asked about how he was building the team for the future.
“The market has completely changed with long-term contracts and people looking at the future, but of course, we are too. We have 15 or 16 riders out of contract, which is significant, and we’ll retain many in our team because we really appreciate the riders in our team and the value that they bring, but we’re also looking at other potential opportunities,” he told me.