Cycling Market - INEOS lose another leader; Pidcock to be joined by British national champion; America's top team grows

Cycling
Saturday, 19 September 2026 at 06:00
Collage_BenTurnerEthanHayterFemVanEmpel
Ben Turner and Ethan Hayter are amongst the British riders noted as changing teams at the end of 2026. There is a lot of movement with several transfers, high-value rumours and even the return of former cyclocross World Champion Fem van Empel to professional cycling.
Since the previous instance of the Cycling Market, lots of renewals have taken place from teams wanting to secure their future - and prevent rival teams from developing.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team was particularly active, revealing the renewal of the following riders: Fabian Lienhard, Arthur Kluckers, Florian Stork, Marius Mayrhofer, Arvid de Kleijn, Alvaras Mikutis and Fabian Weiss. The Swiss team effectively assured a big part of their block for the 2027 season.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike secured the contract of Tim Rex, a rider who was particular importance during the spring classics and Giro d'Italia as a domestique.
From the Vuelta a España, Alessandro Romele signed a new deal with XDS Astana Team who saw the birth of another top racer.
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe renewed with Ben Zwiehoff, Lidl-Trek renewed with Tom Skujins and Andreas Kron of Uno-X Mobility has also signed a new deal.
Contract extensions since previous Cycling Market:
PublishedRiderTeamUntil
2026-09-18 SCHWEINBERGER KathrinHuman Powered Health2027
2026-09-18 KRON AndreasUno-X Mobility2029
2026-09-18 THÉOT KillianVan Rysel Roubaix2028
2026-09-18 TENDON ArnaudVan Rysel Roubaix2028
2026-09-17 BUIJSMAN NinaHuman Powered Health2028
2026-09-17 ALZINI MartinaCofidis Women Team2027
2026-09-17 LIENHARD FabianTudor Pro Cycling Team2028
2026-09-17 KLUCKERS ArthurTudor Pro Cycling Team2028
2026-09-17 CONTTE TomasAviludo - Louletano - Loulé2027
2026-09-16 COLES-LYSTER MaggieHuman Powered Health2028
2026-09-16 STORK FlorianTudor Pro Cycling Team2029
2026-09-16 MAYRHOFER MariusTudor Pro Cycling Team2029
2026-09-16 SKUJIŅŠ TomsLidl - Trek2028
2026-09-16 ROUSSEL ElyneSt Michel - Preference Home - Auber932027
2026-09-16 ZWIEHOFF BenRed Bull - BORA - hansgrohe2028
2026-09-15 FRANZ HeidiSt Michel - Preference Home - Auber932027
2026-09-15 CIPRESSI CarlottaHuman Powered Health2028
2026-09-15 LELANDAIS RémiBourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme2027
2026-09-15 DE KLEIJN ArvidTudor Pro Cycling Team2028
2026-09-14 PRIMOŽIČ JakaHrinkow Advarics2027
2026-09-14 BETTENDORFF LoïcHrinkow Advarics2027
2026-09-14 RIŠKA RichardHrinkow Advarics2027
2026-09-14 BARCELÓ FernandoCaja Rural - Seguros RGA2027
2026-09-14 DE JONG ThalitaHuman Powered Health2028
2026-09-11 MERLÖV VilleBHS - PL Beton Bornholm2027
2026-09-11 VAN BELLE LisaTeam SD Worx - Protime2028
2026-09-10 VERMEEREN JunneMinimax Cycling Team2027
2026-09-10 LINTHOUDT JadeMinimax Cycling Team2027
2026-09-10 NOTHUM GwenMinimax Cycling Team2027
2026-09-10 ANTIKAINEN HeidiMinimax Cycling Team2027
2026-09-10 ROMELE AlessandroXDS Astana Team2028
2026-09-09 SQUIBAN MaevaUAE Team L'IMAD2029
2026-09-09 GIGANTE SarahAG Insurance - Soudal Team2027
2026-09-09 KADLEC MilanKasper crypto4me2027
2026-09-09 GRANGIER IndiaSt Michel - Preference Home - Auber932027
2026-09-08 REX TimTeam Visma | Lease a Bike2029
2026-09-07 WEISS FabianTudor Pro Cycling Team2029
2026-09-07 MARTURANO GretaUAE Team L'IMAD2027
2026-09-07 MIKUTIS AivarasTudor Pro Cycling Team2029

Official signings

Lots of teams have revealed several signings over this past week and a half, and several of them are quite meaningful. Lidl-Trek are perhaps the most important, with three signings on the men's side. On the women's team, they announced the move of both Blanka Kata Vas and Arlenis Sierra.
On the men's side, the signing of Decathlon duo Felix Gall and Gregor Muhlberger. The Austrian duo have raced the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España both at their top level this year, and boost the German team's already packed GC contender block even further. Georg Zimmermann of Lotto-Intermarché has also joined its ranks.
There is Groupama - FDJ who also announced the signing of three riders: Lorenzo Crescioli from Polti; Emillien Jeannière and Alexandre Delettre from TotalEnergies who appear to be more and more likely to come to an end this winter.
Bahrain - Victorious have also signed a deal with Cristián Rodríguez, ninth at the recent Vuelta a España; and Mercan'Tour Classic winner Ibón Ruiz from Equipo Kern Pharma.
Netcompany sits on the losing end this week with the departure of two riders. Artem Shmidt is leaving towards NSN Cycling Team; whilst most importantly Ben Turner has left towards Soudal - Quick-Step.
Guillaume Martin has signed with Lotto-Intermarché; Caja Rural - Seguros RGA have signed Marc Brustenga of Kern Pharma and surprisingly Sergio Higuita from Astana who will team up with compatriot Fernando Gaviria; whilst Uno-X Mobility have already signed one of Alexander Kristoff's brothers Felix-Orn Kristoff who raced for Lotto.
Ben Turner crosses the line after stage 4 of the 2026 Giro d'Italia
Ben Turner is leaving Netcompany INEOS to race for Soudal - Quick-Step
On the women's side there are also pretty meaningful moves. Above all else, the signing of Fem van Empel by FDJ - Suez. The former cyclocross world champion - on three occasions - announced a departure from pro cycling last winter, without knowing if a return was to happen.
The deal, all the way into the end of 2027, comes with immediate effect and should see her back in the cyclocross field already this winter - having returned from a provisional retirement at age 24.
Besides Sierra and Vas' transfers to Lidl-Trek; Team SD Worx - ProTime also announced the signing of Cédrine Kerbaol and Rachele Barbieri into 2027.

Rumours

Although only one month remains to the season, some meaningful moves are still yet to be made in the market. Some are a matter of time to be made public, but new potential transfers have been rumoured over the past week. Daniel Benson, Ciro Scognamiglio, Wielerflits, Het Laatste Nieuws and Het Nieuwsblad often contribute towards a hub of market activity that creates a clear picture.
The previous has reported on three potential signings for the American Modern Adventure Pro Cycling team: Australian national champion Pattrick Eddy; Josh Burnett and Owen Cole.
Tao Geoghegan Hart, after a section of lackluster years at Lidl-Trek, is set to move on with a deal with EF Education-EasyPost.
Tudor Pro Cycling Team is likely to take in yet another classics specialist and rouleur in Nico Denz; whilst Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team may be preparing another big move.
After his near-miss at the Vuelta a España, just barely missing out on the first stage win behind Tadej Pogacar, Ethan Hayter revealed he did not yet have a team for 2027.
It is rumoured that he might join Pinarello, a deal that could benefit both sides immensely - with the British time trial champion set to try and prove his worth at this Sunday's time trial world championships.
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