Major transfer setback for Netcompany INEOS - What Filippo Ganna's departure from the British team means
Cycling
It's official, Filippo Ganna's time as a Netcompany INEOS rider is over. After eight seasons with the British team, he joins Lidl-Trek in an unprecedented transfer - leaving the team despite previously being contracted to the end of the 2027 season.
The Italian rider picked up 41 wins while at the team, rising to become one of the best time triallists in the world while also claiming major wins at Grand Tours and classics. At 30-years-old, he joins a rapidly strengthening Lidl-Trek as their eighth signing of the season.
Reports emerged last week that the team were in discussions to sign the former time trial world champion in a surprise move, where he was linked with joining his Italian track teammates Simone Consonni and Jonathan Milan among other top riders.
Announcing the move, Ganna expressed his intent to continue to prioritise the spring classics as well as Grand Tours with his new team as his new employer's paid tribute to his versatility and power.
His old team, meanwhile, have also had kind words for their departing rider. After close to a decade in their ranks, INOES acknowledged that both his generosity and humour will me missed by the outfit.
Grazie, Pippo. @GannaFilippo will leave the team at the end of the 2026 season after eight successful years together. https://t.co/kxrYtGnfmz
— Netcompany INEOS (@NetcompanyINEOS) October 13, 2026
INEOS release Filippo Ganna statement after surprise exit
"Filippo Ganna will leave the team at the end of the 2026 season after eight successful years together," a statement posted on the team's social media channels said.
INEOS wished Ganna well as he continues his career elsewhere: "Pippo has been an incredible teammate and his generosity and good humour will be missed by everyone in this team. We wish him every success in the next chapter of his career and look forward to seeing him out on the road."
Ganna's exit, along with Egan Bernal ending his season at the Tour de France and admitting uncertainty about his future in the support, symbol a major shift within INEOS's core. With Ganna being a fixture for the team at both Grand Tours and classics, his exit means that nine riders have officially left the team ahead of 2027 and only three replacements have been confirmed.
Filippo Ganna has left Netcompany INEOS
INEOS enduring worrying transfer market
With a huge haul of UCI points now leaving their ranks in he form of Ganna, Magnus Sheffield, Andrew August, Sam Welsford and Ben Turner, the team also lose experienced road captains such as Ben Swift and Bob Jungels to retirement.
Seven rider's 2027 contracts have not yet been confirmed, while some will stay with the team, it's likely that at least one more rider could also depart. However, to signal just how large a hole has been left by their confirmed exits; if all seven riders were to renew and remain at the team, INEOS would still have just 23 riders and seven free slots on their roster as things stand.
That said, one reinforcement to their ranks is junior time trial and road race world champion Benjamin Noval, who confirmed his massive potential last month in Montreal. He steps immediately to the WorldTour and could be a huge star of the future.
Elsewhere, they have confirmed emerging talent Markel Beloki from EF Education-EasyPost as well as XDS Astana's Harold Tejada.
Read also
INEOS transfer market summary
Arrivals
| Rider | Previous team |
| Harold Tejada | XDS Astana Team |
| Markel Beloki | EF Education - EasyPost |
| Benjamín Noval | MMR Academy |
Departures
| Rider | Goes to |
| Filippo Ganna | Lidl - Trek |
| Bob Jungels | Retired as from 2026-12-31 |
| Ben Swift | Retired as from 2026-12-31 |
| Magnus Sheffield | Uno-X Mobility |
| Laurens De Plus | ? |
| Tobias Foss | ? |
| Axel Laurence | ? |
| Sam Welsford | Team Jayco AlUla |
| Connor Swift | ? |
| Ben Turner | Soudal Safety Jogger |
| Samuel Watson | ? |
| Óscar Rodriguez | ? |
| Brandon Smith Rivera | ? |
| Victor Langellotti | XDS Astana Team |
| Andrew August | Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
| Artem Schmidt | NSN Cycling Team |
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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