Transfer market - One of the World Tour's top breakaway specialists could be moving in to UAE Team Emirates - XRG

The Grand Tour season has, as ever, set the transfer market in motion. Once the Giro d’Italia begins, rumors multiply around signings, renewals, and departures for the following year. This Corsa Rosa is no different. Now, UAE Team Emirates XRG is in the spotlight with the potential signing of Marco Frigo on the table.

According to Ciro Scognamiglio of La Gazzetta dello Sport, one of the most reliable reporters on the professional cycling transfer market, UAE are closing in on a major addition for next season, which would be the NSN Cycling Team rider.

“An Italian signing is coming into view for UAE Team Emirates – XRG. As sources at the 2026 Giro d’Italia told us yesterday, Marco Frigo could join Tadej Pogacar’s squad from 2027,” Scognamiglio reported.

A rouleur by nature and a strong time trialist, Frigo has ultimately found his best results hunting for stage wins in the big races. In 2025 the 26-year old's evolution was notable as he won a stage at the Tour of the Alps, finished fifth at the Baloise Belgium Tour, seventh at the Tour de Pologne and went on to finish on the podium of two Vuelta a España stages - both from breakaways.

In 2026, his breakaway at Amstel Gold Race proved quite lucrative as he survived with Remco Evenepoel and Mattias Skjelmose late into the race, and later finished 10th at the finish. He should be an important piece in NSN's Tour de France team.

As has been shown very well recently, UAE is a team where the classics riders can be given a lot of freedom to chase breakaways even on the biggest of races. At the ongoing Giro d'Italia, Igor Arrieta and Jhonatan Narváez already achieved this, showing Frigo could get freedom whilst sharing that with frequent domestique roles - something the team has managed well with other riders.

His role as a domestique however could be interesting, as in recent years, other teams have signed notable stage hunters who transitioned into that role. Notably Visma's work with Victor Campenaerts shows the value in such a signing, whilst Bruno Armirail is a rider who is very similar to Frigo and will be supporting Jonas Vingegard at the upcoming Tour de France.