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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- Who cares what Bruyneel thinks. He and his best mate Lance, the biggest fraud in the history of sport, have no place commenting on anything but how to lie and cheat!whit2pet02-11-2026
- Eeesh!Lozza02-11-2026
- bravo! a rider likes jonas needs motivation and he needs to believe in being able to reach goals. he - like anybody else in the world - doesn't believe that he can win the tdf with pogi present. and what's it worth for when pogi is not there? second class victory only. he has checked all three grand tours, so what is left if not retire? the classics! go for it, jonas!Ketterechts02-11-2026
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
- dude, Lemond never even was in the same race as Armstrong. He throws all these aspersions on other American riders who might usurp his throne as the greatest ever American racer. He doesn't say a single thing about (foreign) dopers who he actually raced against. Biggest douchebag move ever. I used to revere that guy, now I despise him. His actions are so weird.fatsupermodel02-11-2026
- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
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