'Twice as much as Evenepoel' - INEOS Grenadiers reportedly payed record-breaking money to buy-out Oscar Onley's contract
Cycling
The investment in pro cycling is, in its current form, larger than ever. Not only are million-euro contracts being handed out on the regular, but a few teams are now also willing and able to conduct contract buyouts in the value of millions. One such is Oscar Onley towards INEOS Grenadiers, which might just have become the most expensive in the history of the sport.
With a few agents looking for loopholes in the system, a few riders in recent years have terminated their contracts almost unilaterally to join a different team. Cian Uijtdebroeks' case in 2022 to join Team Visma | Lease a Bike for example; but most recently Derek Gee who has left Israel - Premier Tech (moving to Lidl-Trek, now confirmed in January) right before the peak of the criticism that fell on the team.
However, a few contracts are ended mutually. Primoz Roglic's departure from Visma back in 2023, so as to join Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, was a massive hit to the market. But what seemed to be at the time a decade-marking moment, is now one of many.
Juan Ayuso's bitter split with UAE Team Emirates - XRG was a long-expected yet striking moment this summer, with his arrival at Lidl-Trek potentially creating another Grand Tour superpower if the Spaniard is to fulfill his potential.
This winter alone Remco Evenepoel's move from Soudal - Quick-Step also to Red Bull - BORA also broke news all over the world, with the reigning Olympic, World and European Champion (time trial in the latter two) wanted to leave the Belgian team an the investment that Red Bull has been bringing to the team has allowed to pay a sum of around €2 million euros, whilst offering a salary that is only topped by that of Tadej Pogacar at UAE Team Emirates - XRG.
How much did INEOS pay to buy out Oscar Onley's contract?
However, whilst Evenepoel's value is above that of virtually any rider on the planet, his contract buy-out was not the one in which a team was willing to put in the most money. According to Velo, Oscar Onley's move to INEOS Grenadiers was largely because of a payout of around the double as Evenepoel. This would make it around €4 million, whilst different values have been rumoured over the past few months - Cyclingnews today has reported the value was €6 million, fluctuating all the way up to €7 million.
The British team has over the past few years lost significant force in the Grand Tours whilst UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Team Visma | Lease a Bike fully took over the top spots in most three-week races.
In a move that has been allowed by a large financial capacity, INEOS Grenadiers have put in the big bucks in order to sign this past year's fourth place at the Tour de France; a rider that the team hopes to develop into a larger status and to potentially fight for the Tour de France win in the future.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Rafionain-Glas13-11-2026 - When Thomas gets the bullet from INEOS he can get a job as a comedian.
Senna196013-11-2026
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