Cycling transfers can be officially ratified and communicated from August 1, but of course a lot of deals and conversations have leaked out in recent weeks and months. Read here who (could) sign where in the coming weeks.
Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl will go through life as Soudal-Quick Step from 2023, but despite the steady budget increase, there will be no migration.
At the end of last year, Patrick Lefevere had the majority of his core signed until the end of 2023 and therefore only has a few free places.
Belgian champion Tim Merlier was seduced and Lefevere is also said to have landed a fresh lead-out.
The patron was charmed by Ramon Sinkeldam (Groupama-FDJ), the Italian Matteo Malucelli was also quoted.
At the time, Jan Hirt was still driving for Etixx, a former training team of Patrick Lefevere.
The climbers’ core around Remco Evenepoel normally also gets a quality injection. Giro stage winner Jan Hirt is snatched away from Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert.
The departures certainly include Iljo Keisse (he is retiring and will become team leader at Soudal-Quick Step) and Mark Cavendish.
The Brit is not yet thinking about the end of his career and wants to race for another 2 years. The British champion is linked to EF-EasyPost, Ineos Grenadiers and Israel-Premier Tech.
It also remains to be seen whether there is still a place for Dries Devenyns (considering his retirement) and Zdenek Stybar.
The Czech furniture piece would like to throw itself more and more into the off-road terrain with the 2024 Games as its root.
Mark Cavendish is now closing the Quick Step book for good.
At Lotto-Soudal – Lotto-Dstny next year – they wave Philippe Gilbert (retirement) and Tim Wellens from.
Wellens belonged to the furniture and now more than likely opts for fresh air at UAE. Climber Steff Cras is also looking for other places and would land at TotalEnergies.
The Belgian team – whether or not in the WorldTour – siphons climbing talent Lennert Van Eetvelt (2nd in the Baby Giro) over from the promise team and knocks on the door of Bingoal-Pauwels Sauzen-WB for Arjen Livyns and the Dutchman Mathijs Paasschens.
Tim Wellens has been riding with Lotto his entire professional career.
Alpecin-Deceuninck absorbs the departure of Tim Merlier with Kaden Grovesthe 23-year-old chunk of dynamite from BikeExchange.
Thanks to the second main sponsor, there was also sufficient financial strength to Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) and also with Søren Kragh Andersen (DSM) the core is significantly strengthened.
Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert does pay a price for his farming year. Next to Quinten Hermans are also Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X) and Andrea Pasqualon (Bahrain Victorious) on the list of leavers.
The French link is fed with Lilian Calmejane (AG2R-Citroën) and Laurenz Rex (Bingoal-Pauwels Sauzen-WB) and Rune Herregodts (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise) also have an offer in their pocket.
Quinten Hermans exchanges one Belgian team for another.
Not only the Belgian teams are scouring the market, the international top teams are also active.
Jumbo-Visma strengthens Slovenian connection with Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious), Dutch identity gets a boost after Tom Dumoulin’s retirement with Paris-Roubaix winner Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers) in Wilco Kelderman (Bora-Hansgrohe).
For the latter it will be a return to the old nest. Jumbo-Visma was eagerly looking for Dutch banners and missed the desirable DSM employee who will be discussed immediately below.
At Ineos Grenadiers they have been drawing the map of the youth for a while now and they are not leaving that track.
Thymen Arensman (DSM) is the next diamond (and therefore does not go to Jumbo-Visma), established names are not hanging in the air as replacements for likely leavers like Richard Carapaz (EF-EasyPost), Adam Yates en Eddie Dunbar (BikeExchange).
Thymen Arensman was one of the trendsetters in the Giro.
Carapaz may prefer the rose shirts to his ex-employer Movistar, Yates is still negotiating with Ineos, but is about to return to his former Australian nest and his brother Simon.
Italian champion Filippo Zana (Bardiani) is also announced there, Michael Matthews must hand in if he wants to stay on board longer.
Matthews can count on a solid replacement pay slip at B&B Hotels, which, as a kid, has roped in a big sponsor (Carrefour?) and jumps on just about anything that moves. The French won’t settle down until they catch a fat fish.
Will Matthews be B&B Hotels’ first top transfer?
UAE is keeping quiet for the time being, except for Tim Wellens and Domen Novak (Bahrain Victorious).
Although a charm offensive will be launched towards Leo Hayter. The winner of the Baby Giro – Ethan’s younger brother – is freed by, among others, UAE, Ineos, Bora-Hansgrohe and Jumbo-Visma.
Trek-Segafredo is not mentioned. They have bonded and welcomed strong holders Mads Pedersen, Jasper Stuyven and Bauke Mollema longer Thibau Nys and Natnal Tesfatsion, a new pearl from Eritrea.
All top teams also keep the line with Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Victorious) warm and despite an ongoing contract would Stefan Kung no longer want to stay with Groupama-FDJ. UAE and Bora-Hansgrohe sniff carefully.
The top teams are walking the door of Leo Hayter, winner of the Baby Giro.
Sources: editorial staff, national and international media, specialized websites such as Wielerflits and Velonews.
