Teams & Riders The Great Big Cycling Transfers, Extensions, and Rumours Thread

[Rockestar_33]

The report is right in that Jayco tried to terminate him one year into a two year contract. He improved in year 2 and hence, he got a one year extension covering 2025. It was no surprise that he was not renewed by Jayco for 2026. I agree about Durbridge. He's struggled to get the job done in the last two TDF's.

Yeah he was really good last year, his Slovenia was really impressive. I'd have him in the squad over Hellemose, Double, Durbridge quite comfortably.

 

[RedheadDane]

The report is right in that Jayco tried to terminate him one year into a two year contract.

That's a bit extreme! Stick to terminating his contract...

 

[Roku]

That's a bit extreme! Stick to terminating his contract...

Imagine Acquadro and Jesús David Peña on a team car, then Brent Copeland leaving them on a railway and calling them to say "You've just been erased"

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYHyROyryo4

 

[Mayomaniac]

They turned Filippo Baroncini good again. Maybe they can kick start Julius Johansen also!

Both has been world champs. Baroncini in U23 and Johansen in juniors.

With Baroncini it was mostly about him not having multiple crashes and injuries during the season.
About Pena, I'more mostly upset about Acquadro's cowardly behavior. Ghosting his client and according to him he has done it to other riders like Camargo before. I hope the whole thing backfires and riders think twice about signing with him.

 

[ciranda]

Yeah he was really good last year, his Slovenia was really impressive. I'd have him in the squad over Hellemose, Double, Durbridge quite comfortably.

please no negativity of any kind against the guy who almost beat Nibali's Mortirolo time

 

[StryderHells]

Anyone see the Jesus Peña debacle? His manager has basically tanked his chances of signing anywhere next season. He'll be lucky to get a PRT contract. A shame because he's bloody talented, I wish he got an extension over Durbridge or a few others at Jayco.

"He didn’t answer my calls or messages... it is all very complicated" - Future of departing Jayco AlUla rider uncertain after alleged mismanagement by agent

The 2024 road season hasn't long finished, but for some out of contract riders, the countdown to the start of the 2025 campaign is already ticking dangerously close. One of those uncertain about his f...

cyclinguptodate.com

It’s unfortunate what’s happened with him, a young rider should be treated better than that.
To say he should of got a contract over Durbridge is nonsense, they are a completely type of rider who bring different things to a team, Peña isn’t going to be able to be a workhorse on the flat, would get dropped as soon as they hit thr cobbles in the spring classics, next to useless in any team TT. You can say he deserves a contract over other riders in the roster but to say he should get one over Durbridge is incorrect.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

It’s unfortunate what’s happened with him, a young rider should be treated better than that.
To say he should of got a contract over Durbridge is nonsense, they are a completely type of rider who bring different things to a team, Peña isn’t going to be able to be a workhorse on the flat, would get dropped as soon as they hit thr cobbles in the spring classics, next to useless in any team TT. You can say he deserves a contract over other riders in the roster but to say he should get one over Durbridge is incorrect.

Euskatel should sign him, he'll bring in more UCI points than their other transfers. And they might actually end up in a top 10 GC with him instead of going for 21st with Bizkarra

 

[Anderis]

To say he should of got a contract over Durbridge is nonsense, they are a completely type of rider who bring different things to a team, Peña isn’t going to be able to be a workhorse on the flat, would get dropped as soon as they hit thr cobbles in the spring classics, next to useless in any team TT. You can say he deserves a contract over other riders in the roster but to say he should get one over Durbridge is incorrect.

Pena and Durbridge being completely different types of riders doesn't automatically make such opinions invalid. One could hold a belief that a team already has enough riders of one type and could benefit more by having a rider of another type.

By your logic, my wish for EF to sign more quick riders would've always been "incorrect" because they would need to sign them at the expense of someone who's a little bit more of a climber or a puncheur because they didn't even have anyone else of the same type to let go.

 

[Anderis]

That was a bit unexpected:

Alastair MacKellar rises to the WorldTour with EF Education-EasyPost | EF Pro Cycling

Australian talent will make his debut in 2025

efprocycling.com

 

[yaco]

Well done to Mckellar who has given himself every opportunity to join the WT. I think he is borderline WT level, so lets see how well he performs.

 

[Rockestar_33]

It’s unfortunate what’s happened with him, a young rider should be treated better than that.
To say he should of got a contract over Durbridge is nonsense, they are a completely type of rider who bring different things to a team, Peña isn’t going to be able to be a workhorse on the flat, would get dropped as soon as they hit thr cobbles in the spring classics, next to useless in any team TT. You can say he deserves a contract over other riders in the roster but to say he should get one over Durbridge is incorrect.

And I feel between Gamper, Hepburn, CJJ, O'Brien, Reinders, Sutterlin and Walscheid they have that covered pretty well. I'm one of Durbridge's biggest fans but he's been well below his best the past couple of years, so if you insist that Jayco need that type, they should have Prioritized Maas or Scotson over him, Scotson in particular is a big loss.

 

[Potomac]

That was a bit unexpected:

Alastair MacKellar rises to the WorldTour with EF Education-EasyPost | EF Pro Cycling

Australian talent will make his debut in 2025

efprocycling.com

So now I am doomed to spelling his name wrong, McKeller, MacKeller, I know I will get it wrong

 

[StryderHells]

And I feel between Gamper, Hepburn, CJJ, O'Brien, Reinders, Sutterlin and Walscheid they have that covered pretty well. I'm one of Durbridge's biggest fans but he's been well below his best the past couple of years, so if you insist that Jayco need that type, they should have Prioritized Maas or Scotson over him, Scotson in particular is a big loss.

I agree to a point but it’s not always about results, from all accounts Durbridge is a valued teammate behind the scenes and offers a wealth of experience and his contribution to team chemistry is held highly. Another thing to consider and wouldn’t be all that surprising is that Ryan as the person who has bank rolled the team could be a fan and wants to keep him around (which I wouldn’t deny Ryan if it’s true as without him the team would not be around). I don’t disagree that a younger talent should of been given a spot on the squad and maybe Durbridge should of been the one to enable that but do think other factors outside of what we see on the road play a part in why a older riders get contacts.

 

[Roku]

It seems Eiking will ride next season for Unibet Tietema Rockets.

 

[Ricco']

Tom Schellekens cuts short his road racing endeavours and his Visma stint, joining Bart Brentjens team (KMC-Ridley) and focus solely on the mountain biking.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Stormy waters ahead

This has been coming for a while... Maxim Van Gils terminates his two-year contract with Lotto Dstny, the team reacts with shock.If Van Gils is released, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe is the top candidate to take him over.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1858900307771879566

Would say that if the constant contract tampering going on at the moment continues to go unpunished then we will be seeing his sort of thing far more, Denk and Plugge aren't the only ones either I believe.

 

[pastronef]

Stormy waters ahead

This has been coming for a while... Maxim Van Gils terminates his two-year contract with Lotto Dstny, the team reacts with shock.If Van Gils is released, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe is the top candidate to take him over.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1858900307771879566

Would say that if the constant contract tampering going on at the moment continues to go unpunished then we will be seeing his sort of thing far more, Denk and Plugge aren't the only ones either I believe.

and I don't see Jarno Widar stay at Lotto after 2025...

 

[theyoungest]

Stormy waters ahead

This has been coming for a while... Maxim Van Gils terminates his two-year contract with Lotto Dstny, the team reacts with shock.If Van Gils is released, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe is the top candidate to take him over.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1858900307771879566

Would say that if the constant contract tampering going on at the moment continues to go unpunished then we will be seeing his sort of thing far more, Denk and Plugge aren't the only ones either I believe.

It can't be Red Bull Hansgrohe. According to a certain R. Denk, this sort of thing is deeply troubling and irresponsible. At least, it was in December last year...

 

[Berniece]

Stormy waters ahead

This has been coming for a while... Maxim Van Gils terminates his two-year contract with Lotto Dstny, the team reacts with shock.If Van Gils is released, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe is the top candidate to take him over.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1858900307771879566

Would say that if the constant contract tampering going on at the moment continues to go unpunished then we will be seeing his sort of thing far more, Denk and Plugge aren't the only ones either I believe.

Lotto needs to decide between receiving money now or blocking the transfer as long as possible which means Van Gils can’t ride until the summer probably

 

[pastronef]

Belgians trying not to destroy the cycling financial model challenge: impossible

could we put half of the blame on Lotto (the sponsor) owners and the team management?

 

[Samamba]

Not really, Van Gils signed an extension this year.

This, look I might be biased, but I just can't see how you can think this is remotely "fine" when this guy just signed an extension. Wtf do you do as a not super rich team nowadays? Can't even be smart and extend someone before he blows up cause he can just one day decide to break his contract (technically he indeed can)? The timing is also so ridiculously bad. As a team you simply can't react. Great that you get a mil maybe + his salary frees up. You can't use it... What is the point of sponsoring a not super team? You don't know what your sponsoring, before you know it, all your leaders leave the 31st of December. System is completely broken, but the thing is that the UCI probably can't even do anything cause of EU's recent ruling about the Diarra case. Footballs system will also completely collapse.

Apparently Astana's best bet to stay in the WT was just to pay off riders from Cofidis or DSM in the last months of the year, so that they didn't even have a team.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

EU free market rules should not (fully) apply to sports, exhibit 5639:

 

[Rob5091]

Please let it be Astana! If anyone should wreck the current contract system it should be Vino. Would be fitting.

 

[Roku]

Astana is full for next season unless Daniil Marukhin or any other rider, for that purpose, suddenly reconsiders their best course of action is to return to amateur ranks with the Devo team

 

[Samamba]

EU free market rules should not (fully) apply to sports, exhibit 5639:

Wild that they still dont understand athletes who earn 100s of thousands or millions of dollars dont need the same protections as normal people who are scared they cant pay their Bills every months. The amount of power these athletes have is just stupid.