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

[Berniece]

New contract for Widar at Lotto. Technically same length, but big salary in return for dropping the exit clause at the end of 2025. I guess all the performance questions the kid supposedly had disappeared when he saw the new offer.

That’s indeed what you have to do. If you don’t have other aspects to persuade a rider like better staff to make you a better rider, you just have to pay them more

 

[Samamba]

That’s indeed what you have to do. If you don’t have other aspects to persuade a rider like better staff to make you a better rider, you just have to pay them more

They are not paying him more than other teams would lmao, not even close. He had ridiculous offers.

 

[Berniece]

They are not paying him more than other teams would lmao, not even close. He had ridiculous offers.

Then why are you implying he’s doing it for the money?

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

He's probably going to get a popularity boost if he rises to stardom in 2 years with Lotto (in Belgium). Rather than jump ship to Red Bull straight away.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Øxenberg and Storm placed with Lotto Kern-Haus PSD Bank in 2025

www.ineosgrenadiers.com

Which of course makes me wonder; in Øxenberg's case, is it a transfer from Ineos to Kern, or from ColoQuick to Kern?

Ineos I guess in their corporate spiel world, worded as a placement with Ineos development support.

It's the new world, sign a rider then move to development team, or perhaps loaning out will become the norm like it is in football.

 

[RedheadDane]

Ineos I guess in their corporate spiel world, worded as a placement with Ineos development support.

Considering that the announcement that they'd signed Øxenberg came back in the spring, I suspect that happened before Kern was added as a devo team. Otherwise, it's really weird...

With Storm it makes more sense to move him down a step; when they signed him last for this year's season - a year earlier than originally planned, in fact - they probably weren't expecting that something would happened that made him unable to race for them the entire year.
And since he had some very serious health issues, it makes sense to allow him to start over, so to speak.

 

[yaco]

The good thing about the Widar extension is that we will be able to see him in some races with the WT team. I will watch with interest.

 

[MLKarlos]

New contract for Widar at Lotto. Technically same length, but big salary in return for dropping the exit clause at the end of 2025. I guess all the performance questions the kid supposedly had disappeared when he saw the new offer.

Cool, thanks for the insights

 

[Samamba]

Then why are you implying he’s doing it for the money?

I'm saying his "unhappyness" was a money thing (I've said this from the beginning), cause he saw how much he could earn somewhere else and Lotto wasn't doing him a new offer (or well they did, but it didn't get the through at the highest level cause of lack of budget). The reason he wanted to leave at some point did not have anything to with performance related reasons but because he thought he deserved to earn more (you could say that's a valid thought). Doesn't mean Lotto had to give him as much as some others to stay and it isn't the same as "only doing it for the money". But if you're actually unhappy about other things you don't stay when they give you an offer that comes relatively close to those from other teams.

 

[Berniece]

I'm saying his "unhappyness" was a money thing (I've said this from the beginning), cause he saw how much he could earn somewhere else and Lotto wasn't doing him a new offer (or well they did, but it didn't get the through at the highest level cause of lack of budget). The reason he wanted to leave at some point did not have anything to with performance related reasons but because he thought he deserved to earn more (you could say that's a valid thought). Doesn't mean Lotto had to give him as much as some others to stay and it isn't the same as "only doing it for the money". But if you're actually unhappy about other things you don't stay when they give you an offer that comes relatively close to those from other teams.

I'm not going to pretend that I know more than you, because I just read the media, and you obviously know people directly or even work for Lotto. But I find it a bit shitty that you made it seem as if it was only about the money, when Lotto also promised to do better on other parts. Improving the performance team, getting him a new coach. Basically all the things he criticised.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I'm saying his "unhappyness" was a money thing (I've said this from the beginning), cause he saw how much he could earn somewhere else and Lotto wasn't doing him a new offer (or well they did, but it didn't get the through at the highest level cause of lack of budget). The reason he wanted to leave at some point did not have anything to with performance related reasons but because he thought he deserved to earn more (you could say that's a valid thought). Doesn't mean Lotto had to give him as much as some others to stay and it isn't the same as "only doing it for the money". But if you're actually unhappy about other things you don't stay when they give you an offer that comes relatively close to those from other teams.

So, how many seasons until he pulls a Van Gils?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So, how many seasons until he pulls a Van Gils?

Probably an amount that Koen de Kort can count on his right hand.

 

[pastronef]

So, how many seasons until he pulls a Van Gils?

if he wanted to pull a Van Gils he would have already done it. and he wouldn't have agreed as late ad mid December to modify his contract.
the rumors of his unhappiness came in late summer iirc. he certainly already talked with other agents. in Zurich all his (Lotto) teammates wore sponsors correct kit. he wore Oakley glasses instead of Ekoi.
then with Van Gils money been freed (and probably some more cash splashed by RedBull) Lotto could rise his wages, and also he probably thought he'd be less stressed at Lotto Dev for 2025 and ride 2 years in the WT with Lotto in 2026-27. and maybe less lawyers involved.
he'll be 22 when in Dec 2027 his contract will expiry. he'll have all the time he wants to sign with mega bucks teams

 

[RedheadDane]

(Love how they're specifying that it's the men's team he signed with. )

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Toscana Factory Team Vini Fantini announced their full roster. I can't be bothered to write up the entire transfer window for one of the worst PCT teams there is so here is the PCS page of the transfers: https://www.procyclingstats.com/team/toscana-factory-team-vini-fantini-2025/transfers

In other news: Nippo joins yet another cycling team structure after having already partnered by half the teams out there. They become a co-sponsor of the Wanty dev team.

 

[Coffeeplanter]

Ashlin Barry to Visma, damn.

 

[Potomac]

Ashlin Barry to Visma, damn.

What were you hoping for 17 year old Ashlin Barry?
I know very little about developmental programs. I have no idea if Visma's is good or bad.

 

[Samamba]

Didn't Vaughters just establish a whole devo team just to get this guy...

I'm really looking forward to when some of these top junior/u23 guys start getting mad because they are in the same team with other supertalents. Will have no sympathy for them when it happens.

 

[MLKarlos]

Didn't Vaughters just establish a whole devo team just to get this guy...

I'm really looking forward to when some of these top junior/u23 guys start getting mad because they are in the same team with other supertalents. Will have no sympathy for them when it happens.

Agree. Unless you do it on purpose to get the best Development and then you move Team After three years to be Kind of the leader for the Future of a team…basically like Johannes Staune-Mittet did

 

[Coffeeplanter]

What were you hoping for 17 year old Ashlin Barry?
I know very little about developmental programs. I have no idea if Visma's is good or bad.

Well, from the most likely teams there weren't many good options. Obviously part of the EF structure, which I do not find ideal... He is a client of 258 Protege, which made INEOS a very considerable option. Those aren't two teams you'd want top end talent to end up with. On the other hand, it's just the same three or four teams now who end up running away with the big fish. I wouldn't have minded him on Lidl Trek, even though that makes little sense with the presence of Albert Withen Philipsen.

He's going to JEGG next season, the junior team of Visma. This means we'll have Barry, Haugetun and Eiksund Oksneson the same team, not good.

 

[Tim Cahill]

 

[LongtimeLurker]

So, how many seasons until he pulls a Van Gils?

I dont see him there longer than 2026.

 

[RedheadDane]

Not sure I understand?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Not sure I understand?

Didn't Vaughters just establish a whole devo team just to get this guy...

I'm really looking forward to when some of these top junior/u23 guys start getting mad because they are in the same team with other supertalents. Will have no sympathy for them when it happens.

 

[pastronef]

I dont see him there longer than 2026.

the current upgraded contract (why would he even agree to upgrade and sign it if he knew he'd leave?) ends in 2027. he'll be 22 by December 2027.
he'll have more than enough time to sign with Redbull or any other big money teams