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

[Roku]

He's no new Evenepoel; completely dominating the junior ranks, but do you need to be?
And 17 is a fairly common age for 2nd-year Junior whose birthday is later in the year. (It's also a fairly common age for a 1st-year Junior whose birthday is earlier in the year, but that doesn't apply to Mattia.)

For a junior to skip altogether U-23 and jump straight up to pro, yes, at least in my opinion. The Evenepoel, Seixas kind of rider.

Unless they are not a generational talent, imho best course of action is spend at least a year in U-23 (if they are in a feeder team they can even ride .PRO and .1 races) and then turn pro.

 

[RedheadDane]

Unless they are not a generational talent, imho best course of action is spend at least a year in U-23 (if they are in a feeder team they can even ride .PRO and .1 races) and then turn pro.

I suppose it all boils down to how important the people involves think it is that the rider in question will be able to ride WT races.

 

[AupaPyama]

Serry, Huby, Warlop and Cerny are leaving Soudal Quickstep end of the year.

I think they are getting stronger (and have a more Belgian appearance) with the incoming riders like Stuyven, Planckaert, Vandenbosche and Cras. Also Biermans and Desal are mentioned.

 

[Samamba]

I think they are getting stronger (and have a more Belgian appearance) with the incoming riders like Stuyven, Planckaert, Vandenbosche and Cras. Also Biermans and Desal are mentioned.

Way stronger. I don't really understand where the extra money is coming from.

 

[Berniece]

Way stronger. I don't really understand where the extra money is coming from.

Some riders are probably paid less too. Take Lampaert for example

 

[Samamba]

Some riders are probably paid less too. Take Lampaert for example

Doesn't explain Stuyven in particular. He's hella expensive. The rest isnt that special. Planckaert signed before Giro I think, Vandenbossche isn't a lot and Cras hasn't had his best year (but will obviously cost a bit cause he had interest from other big teams).

Don't forget they also extended Magnier, that isn't cheap either.

 

[Berniece]

Doesn't explain Stuyven in particular. He's hella expensive. The rest isnt that special. Planckaert signed before Giro I think, Vandenbossche isn't a lot and Cras hasn't had his best year (but will obviously cost a bit cause he had interest from other big teams).

Don't forget they also extended Magnier, that isn't cheap either.

Maybe Evenepoel is leaving? I mean teams have been after him for so long, and this is the last time SOQ could actually earn some money on it. Next year he leaves for free.

 

[AupaPyama]

Some riders are probably paid less too. Take Lampaert for example

I was also thinking about Van Wilder. Lampaert should be getting way less indeed. Lefevre always says he made a mistake resigning him after the yellow jersey and TT win. Cattaneo is leaving. Maybe Landa has taken also a credit with his renewal? And was everything spent after the departure of Jakobsen? But for all we know there is a new sponsor on board .

 

[Samamba]

Maybe Evenepoel is leaving? I mean teams have been after him for so long, and this is the last time SOQ could actually earn some money on it. Next year he leaves for free.

Yeah I thought about that but if that was certain people would know already imo, and you can't do transfers when you're not 100% sure about the available budget.

Also if Evenepoel leaves there would be way more budget than what they're spending now. From what I've read they did not get Van Baarle cause of financial reasons in the end. I'll think he will stay till next year, and then QS will reform completely, more to a flemish squad again. I always thought they would take De Lie after 2026, but with Magnier there I'm not sure if that's smart. But there's others ofc.

And they'll fill up their GT squad with Belgian talent. Van Eetvelt could go (I'm assuming Lotto won't just out of nowhere get enough budget to keep their stars and give them proper domestiques). I genuinely think QS will be more interesting to follow after Evenepoel leaves. It's interesting to me that they seem to be focussing hard on Belgians. That's completely new, and a bit surprising too given that's why Soudal left Lotto. My main annoyance (this is very personal ofc) towards to the team in the past was always that the press/media acted like they were THE Belgian team while they cheat Belgian taxes and didn't really focus all that on Belgian riders. But that last thing seems to be changing completely (which isn't good for Lotto tbf but ok I don't think they'll exist in a few years anyways).