The 4 teams who have signed the most riders thus far in 2026 - From Pidcock's Pinarello to Lidl-Trek overhaul
Cycling
It's been an intriguing few weeks since the transfer market kicked into gear in August and teams began to announce their new signings ahead of the 2027 season. With a host of high-profile transfers already confirmed, as well as others still to come, there's big some major moves made.
From one of the WorldTour's top teams, to ProTeams with grand ambitions for the future, the transfer market opens an annual opportunity for teams to strengthen within their ranks and tie down their biggest riders for the future.
For four teams, it's set to be a winter of change as they bring in at least seven riders, while the market's biggest movers see no less than eleven riders joining their ranks so far.
We've taken a look at four of the most active teams in the transfer market ahead of the 2027 season as of their current confirmed deals.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek - Seven Signings
The highest-profile team among the transfer market's biggest movers, Lidl-Trek have officially announced seven new riders for the 2027 season and are heavily linked with signing Filippo Ganna.
Felix Gall and right-hand man Gregor Muhlberger join from Decathlon, while they've brought in decorated sprinter Jordi Meeus, Tour de France top ten Jordan Jegat and Giro d'Italia stage winner Igor Arrieta.
Georg Zimmermann is another strong rider joining while the team have also confirmed that Hector Alvarez will step up from their development team. In a period of staff changes at the team this year, their ambitious transfer market means that plenty of new faces join their ranks next season.
| Signings | Rider | From |
| 1 | Héctor Alvarez | Lidl - Trek Future Racing |
| 2 | Igor Arrieta | UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
| 3 | Felix Gall | Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
| 4 | Jordan Jegat | TotalEnergies |
| 5 | Jordi Meeus | Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe |
| 6 | Gregor Muhlberger | Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
| 7 | Georg Zimmermann | Lotto Intermarché |
Caja Rural - Nine Signings
Although the team are losing three prominent riders in the off-season in the form of Abel Balderstone to UAE Team Emirates - XRG and the duo of Jan Castellon and Seb Berwick to Pinarello Q36.5, they've brought in no less than nine new riders.
Sergio Higuita is undoubtedly the big name amongst their confirmed list of signings. The Colombian arrives from XDS Astana.
BH Burgos rider Eric Antonio Fagundez is a solid signing for the Spanish team, while most of their other moves come from Equipo Kern Pharma.
| Signings | Rider | From |
| 1 | Rafael Barbas | Tavfer-Ovos Matinados-Mortágua |
| 2 | Marc Brustenga | Equipo Kern Pharma |
| 3 | Daniel Cepa | Caja Rural - Alea |
| 4 | Eric Antonio Fagundez | Burgos Burpellet BH |
| 5 | Sergio Higuita | XDS Astana Team |
| 6 | Unai Iribar | Equipo Kern Pharma |
| 7 | César Perez | Equipo Kern Pharma |
| 8 | Santiago Umba | Solution Tech NIPPO Rali |
| 9 | Mats Wenzel | Equipo Kern Pharma |
Lotto-Intermarche - Nine Signings
In a season that will see them lose Arnaud de Lie, Lennart van Eetvelt and Georg Zimmermann, the Belgian team have gone for a mix of established names and development riders ahead of 2027.
Guillaume Martin brings a wealth of experience, as does sprinter Juan Sebastián Molano, while the team will also hope Stan Dewulf can bolster their classics line-up next year.
Elsewhere, they've promoted four riders from their development squad as the team continue their reputation as a home-grown roots focused squad. In a bold move, Brandon Fedrizzi steps up striahgt from the junior ranks as an exciting prospect following top ten displays at both the World and European Championships.
| Signings | Rider | From |
| 1 | Stan Dewulf | Decathlon CMA CGM Team |
| 2 | Halvor Dolven | Lotto - Groupe Wanty |
| 3 | Milan Donie | Lotto - Groupe Wanty |
| 4 | Kamiel Eeman | Lotto - Groupe Wanty |
| 5 | Brandon Fedrizzi | Borgo Molino Vigna Fiorita |
| 6 | Guillaume Martin | Groupama - FDJ United |
| 7 | Juan Sebastián Molano | UAE Team Emirates - XRG |
| 8 | Victor Vaneeckhoutte | Lotto - Groupe Wanty |
| 9 | Clément Venturini | Unibet Rose Rockets |
Read also
Pinarello Q36.5 - Eleven Signings
With no less than eleven new faces joining the team in 2027, Tom Pidcock's Pinarello Q36.5 could be a force to be reckoned with next season. From first pro contracts for under-23 prospects, to established Grand Tour stage winners, they have significantly strengthened their squad.
Giulio Ciccone, Mauro Schmid, Davide Ballerini, Ethan Hayter and Pavel Bittner bring Grand Tour pedigree to the team. Andrew August joins as an exciting prospect after making a breakthrough at INEOS.
Seb Berwick, Jan Castellon and Tom Crabbe are among riders on the upward trajectory as they join the team. Niels Driesen and Liam O'Brien also join as a duo from the Lotto and Lidl-Trek development teams respectively.
| Signings | Rider | From |
| 1 | Andrew August | INEOS Grenadiers |
| 2 | Davide Ballerini | XDS Astana Team |
| 3 | Sebastian Berwick | Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
| 4 | Pavel Bittner | Team Picnic PostNL |
| 5 | Jan Castellon | Caja Rural - Seguros RGA |
| 6 | Giulio Ciccone | Lidl - Trek |
| 7 | Tom Crabbe | Team Flanders - Baloise |
| 8 | Niels Driesen | Lotto - Groupe Wanty |
| 9 | Ethan Hayter | Soudal Quick-Step |
| 10 | Liam O'Brien | Lidl - Trek Future Racing |
| 11 | Mauro Schmid | Team Jayco AlUla |
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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- I hope he races Volta a Majorca. We'll really be able to see if he can do one-day-races (but do they count?)
Rafionain-Glas12-10-2026 - See, you can write a sensible comment without just slagging off everyone else! Well done!👏😆 🫣Lozza12-10-2026
- Seixas best chance is obviously UAE. They are the best team in history of the sport and they developed pogacar into the goat. They also developed Del Toro to be nr 2 in world. Seixas would become unstoppable at UAE. Lets see if Seixas stays at decathlon but if UAE comes knocking its impossible to say no. Barcelone and real madrid combined into one team, thats UAE in cycling it feels like..miguel12-10-2026
- I think he does or goes to whichever team gives him the scope to become the rider everyone thinks he'll be when Tadej stops.. that simpleslappers6612-10-2026
- I remember at one time he was mentioned in the same breath as Seixas. no more. Onley has a lot of work to do to be deserving of that.mij12-10-2026
- I hope he goes to Bahrain-Victorious to mentor JakobRafionain-Glas12-10-2026
- I hope he stays! Cycling is more fun with Primoz, even if he is not winning.mij12-10-2026
- yes for sure, there will be more chances for him at Euro than Lombardia. I wonder if that emotion wasn't also because he knows he has now been eclipsed by a younger rider w/o his goals being checked off. At least when Seixas over takes Tadej someday, Tadej will have accomplished his major goals. He still has Roubaix left, but Seixas isn't a threat there. And he should find a year to get Vuelta. Remco now is behind at least 2 riders w/o ever having won a Tour, one monument to his name, and the next few World Championships are not Remco friendly. I would still take Remco's wins though!!!mij12-10-2026
- Remco was at 100%. He raced as expected: 15th best on the climbs and then best in the sprint of the chasing group. Exactly what he did at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he was on similar form. His win in Amstel was comparable to Quebec or the EurosRafionain-Glas12-10-2026
- "inside the tent pissing out" is an idiom based on a quote from President Lyndon Johnson. Not sure if you're saying you don't understand the term. The full phrase is "it's probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in."wrsty12-10-2026
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