"I can see him at INEOS next year" - Oscar Onley heading to British team makes 'perfect sense' for Johan Bruyneel

Oscar Onley is currently in the middle of a conversation that promises to still deliver a lot. The 23-year old has put on a stellar exhibition at this year's Tour de France, proving himself to be a capable Grand Tour contender and one who can realistically aim to take victories in the future. His contract with Team Picnic PostNL is not secure as we've learned recently, and it seems like a move to INEOS Grenadiers is coming close to inevitable as the teams ramp up their preparation for 2026 in Spain.

"I think the big news of the week is Oscar Onley not being at the Team Picnic PostNL training camp. He's not at another team training camp because we would've seen a picture of it. But what's going on with it?" Spencer Martin questioned in The Move podcast. "We've seen quotes the other day that made it seems like he was probably not going back to that team".

Martin refers to an interview of the Scottish rider to Cyclingnews in which he said that "probably 15 teams that have reached out to my manager or reached out to the team directly. And you know… you also have to capitalize on what I've done this year, but, yeah, I can't really say so much just now." He argued that 'things are still up in the air', although on paper, he has a standing contract with the Dutch team until 2027. At this point, it seems very evident that that will not be followed, as in has not arrived at Team Picnic PostNL's camp in Calpe and the rumours of a transfer intensify.

"We talked about it in the last podcast, but I think since then that kind of rumour is getting stronger and stronger. It's not confirmed of course, the fact that he's not at the training camp is suspicious in my opinion," Johan Bruyneel added. "You could say 'he just got back from a long stay in Australia maybe he has to recover from the travel' but I don't think that's the case. I think it's own declaration saying yeah in theory I'm with the team but my future is still uncertain, something along those lines is telling".

"At the same time we got news, I don't think those are rumours, that Team Picnic PostNL, their license is only guarranteed for one year because they cannot give for the moment any financial guarantees for 2027 and 2028. I think personally this Oscar Onley situation is going to evolve. We don't know obviously what's going on behind the scenes, but I can see him at INEOS next year Spencer. He's not at the training camp that's the first sign".

After finishing in the Top10 of the Tour Down Under, UAE Tour, Itzulia Basque Country; third at the Tour de Suisse with a stage win ahead of João Almeida; Onley rode a strong Tour de France where he was not far off from the podium. His performances late in the race, specially on the Col de la Loze where he thoroughly followed Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, proved his consistency in a way that had never been shown before.

And with the trend of the Dutch team, Bruyneel believes it's inevitable for there to be a move soon. "I did a little bit of research and we talked about some riders leaving that specific team - the team of Iwan Speckenbrink - before the end of their contract and I have a few names here... We know Marcel Kittel, he left for Quick-Step; Tom Dumoulin left with a running contract; Edward Theuns went to Trek with a running contract; Marc Hirschi; Michael Matthews; Warren Barguil... These are just a few names, there's a lot more. There's a certain tendency in that team to let a rider go for, in my opinion, a good amount of money".

The potential financial issues of the team may be behind the likely departure of Onley soon, and it is possible that the team will receive a hefty compensation for the move. "I also read somewhere else on social media that they had a big loss in 2022 and 2023. I think it's a matter of time, It's just a gut feeling, I have no information but I can perfectly see Oscar Onley not riding for Picnic PostNL and riding for INEOS".

"And I think for him it makes sense, he's obviously a big talent - fourth at the Tour de France. If you're in a team that can't give you the stability for the next three years it's normal that you look for somewhere else. Don't know who his agent is but he's probably got a good agent and in my opinion Oscar Onley is racing for INEOS in 2026".