The next season is already being shaped off the road.
BRUSSELS
Professional cycling is undergoing a significant reshuffle ahead of the 2027 season, with major WorldTour teams securing established champions, developing younger talent and reorganizing their competitive ambitions. While several high-profile transfers have already been confirmed, the uncertain future of Slovenian star Primož Roglič remains one of the market’s most closely watched developments.
Among the biggest moves is Filippo Ganna’s departure from INEOS to Lidl-Trek. The Italian time trial specialist has signed a three-year contract, strengthening a team already featuring Mads Pedersen, Jonathan Milan and Juan Ayuso. His arrival, alongside Austrian climber Felix Gall and Belgian sprinter Jordi Meeus, gives the organization additional options across Grand Tours, one-day classics and sprint competitions.
However, assembling a powerful roster creates its own challenges. Lidl-Trek must distribute leadership responsibilities and racing opportunities among athletes accustomed to competing at the highest level. Team management has acknowledged that balancing individual ambitions will require careful planning.
Another major development involves Ecuadorian Olympic champion Richard Carapaz, who will leave EF Education-EasyPost to join NSN Cycling Team on a three-year agreement. His arrival, together with Colombian climber Santiago Buitrago, signals the Swiss-registered team’s intention to strengthen its competitiveness in major stage races.
The financial dimension of the market is equally significant. EF team manager Jonathan Vaughters has acknowledged budgetary pressures behind Carapaz’s departure, illustrating how sponsorship resources and operating costs influence sporting decisions. The American organization has responded by recruiting former Giro d’Italia champion Tao Geoghegan Hart.
Decathlon CMA CGM is also strengthening its climbing capabilities by signing Australian rider Ben O’Connor, Frenchman Pavel Sivakov and Belgian Laurens De Plus. Their arrival suggests an increased emphasis on Grand Tour competitiveness, although the departure of Felix Gall creates an important change in the team’s established structure.
Spanish cycling faces a generational transition. Movistar is preparing for life without Nairo Quintana, who announced his retirement after a career that included victories in the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. The departures of Javier Romo and Iván García Cortina further reshape the squad, while younger additions are expected to contribute to its long-term development.
The women’s peloton is experiencing important changes of its own. Polish star Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney will join Lidl-Trek after nine years with Canyon-SRAM, reinforcing the team’s ambitions in major stage races and expanding the competitive significance of its recruitment program.
Yet one prominent question remains unanswered. Roglič is approaching the end of his contract with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe without an officially confirmed destination for 2027. Reports have connected him with several teams, but negotiations and speculation should not be confused with a completed agreement. Retirement also remains a possibility.
Beyond individual transfers, the evolving market reflects the importance of financial stability, talent development and tactical specialization in modern professional cycling. Teams are not simply acquiring prominent names; they are attempting to assemble combinations of riders capable of delivering results across increasingly demanding international calendars.
The confirmed agreements have already altered expectations for next season, but successful recruitment does not automatically guarantee victories.
The ultimate measure of these decisions will emerge when new teammates confront the realities of competition, leadership and collective performance on the road.
The Story Continues Beyond the Headlines.