"It’s dog-eat-dog" – Intermarché-Lotto potential merger and Arkéa - B&B Hotels crysis paralyse riders

The 2025–2026 pro cycling transfer season has been unlike any in recent memory. With the deadline of October 1 for teams to deposit their bank guarantees with the UCI now here, at least three major teams still face an uncertain future. The turbulence has left riders, staff, and agents in limbo while the market stagnates.

One of the biggest points of speculation remains the proposed merger between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto. Since the news first broke in July, little has been revealed about when (or if) a final deal will be reached. Meanwhile, another high-profile squad is on the brink of collapse.

Without a title sponsor and relegation from the WorldTour already sealed, the future of Arkéa-B&B Hotels looks increasingly bleak. Team manager Emmanuel Hubert gave a stark assessment to L’Équipe: "On October 1, if I have nothing, everything will stop."

Hubert has been open about the long and unsuccessful search for backers. Riders and staff have already been free to sign elsewhere for months, but many have been left waiting as uncertainty drags on.

In case the team disappears, 20 WorldTour riders would be left searching for a home (with six already signed, and one retired), along with 12 women riders (only one has signed so far) and 12 from the development squad. Beyond them, 95 staff members would also be out of work.

The Intermarché-Lotto merger is no less complex. It involves not just their men’s WorldTour squads but also Intermarché’s development team Wanty-Nippo Re-Uz and the Charles Liégeois cyclocross squad. Lotto itself also runs a development team and a women’s Continental squad. Together, they account for 114 riders and 156 staff.

According to UCI rules, a WorldTour team can only register a maximum of 30 riders. But Intermarché currently has 18 under contract and Lotto 14, already two above the limit. The excess contracts could be paid out, but riders would still need to find new employers.

As one registered agent told Cyclingnews: "Riders could be flooding the market, maybe with money in their pockets, but without a team with whom they can perform. The money could facilitate a move, but that puts pressure on the entire system."

The uncertainty has been spreading across the peloton. Several agents, speaking anonymously, painted a picture of a distorted market. "Every other team is waiting to see what shakes out. The market is both flooded and in limbo. That uncertainty cascades to other teams who are waiting to see what happens as they want a deal."

Another noted how the dynamics could quickly shift: "If you have the patience, if you wait until the absolute last minute, a team could call the rider or the agent and say, 'We have a spot for you, but we don’t have the budget. Can he come for the minimum salary?' - even though he was making €150,000 last year. It’s dog-eat-dog."