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

[Samamba]

maybe he wont do the tour this year ?

I have no problem with him wanting to leave Red Bull, he deserves a team that's more centered around him, where he can ride where he wants, and has a proper train around him, but at Soudal he only gets that last one. That's my point. I don't see a reason why a good sprinter in the best years of his career would want to be 3rd choice at a team, even if that team is known to be good with sprinters. If you just want to be leader in races like Nokere, Samyn and GW (something he wouldn'tbe at QS probably) he would be better off staying at Red Bull. Even replacing Groves at Alpecin would be better than Soudal probably. At least there's only 1 sprinter in front of him and it's one that's focusing more and more on classics.

 

[search]

Apart from the Tour, Meeus ususally tends to talk a lot about Roubaix when asked about his season goals, so maybe that plays a part as well. He more or less already has a free role for that anyway at Red Bull, but it would rule out Alpecin, for example.

 

[Brullnux]

So according to Benson Meeus is now not extending with Red Bull (which HLN mentioned), but on his way to Soudal?

That would be such a weird transfers. Why would a good sprinter, who's in his best years, go to a team where he's behind the best sprinter in the world (ok he's old, but he'll still be at high level for 2 years probably) and one of the best young sprinters who can also do well in the same sprint classics where Meeus shines in?

Sure, the QS train and sprint expertise will get him some nice wins, maybe in a Giro, but not in the races he should be aiming for unless their other sprinters have injuries.

It makes perfect sense for him to leave Bora but yeah, QS is odd. I suppose he is a good few years younger than Merlier but then QS also have Magnier...

 

[the asian]

It makes perfect sense for him to leave Bora but yeah, QS is odd. I suppose he is a good few years younger than Merlier but then QS also have Magnier...

He can target races which Magnier doesn't start. Probably 1 GT per year and a few semi classics. QS have a good Devo Team though. In 3-4 years he will have competition.

 

[Faserr]

Congrats Hindley for another GT win. Since Sky, Visma is the only team that manages to have several cyclists win a GT.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2053005716969922893

View: https://x.com/lucasaganronald/status/2053005716969922893?s=20

Hindley at Visma seems to be a good match. I think he is happy at Red Bull, because he still gets leadership but at Visma he would be second leader for GTs at the moment.
With Roglic and perhaps Hindley leaving Red Bull could look for another good GT rider. There are no rumours at all for Red Bull at the moment.

 

[the asian]

Hindley at Visma seems to be a good match. I think he is happy at Red Bull, because he still gets leadership but at Visma he would be second leader for GTs at the moment.
With Roglic and perhaps Hindley leaving Red Bull could look for another good GT rider. There are no rumours at all for Red Bull at the moment.

With Lipo, Pelizzari and Remco , Red bull are stacked for leaders. What they need are some good domestiques.

 

[Netserk]

With Lipo, Pelizzari and Remco , Red bull are stacked for leaders. What they need are some good domestiques.

yeah i think remco and lipo rides two gts next year , so they will still have two leaders in all gts

 

[the asian]

yeah i think remco and lipo rides two gts next year , so they will still have two leaders in all gts

I think they should go all in with one GC leader. Guys like Vlasov , Martinez can be the super domestiques and aim for a fairly high GC position themsleves.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

With Lipo, Pelizzari and Remco , Red bull are stacked for leaders. What they need are some good domestiques.

And having some space for Finn to grow into is also not a bad idea.

 

[yaco]

And they have first year rider Tuckwell who in his first year is showing GC ambitions.

 

[ingsve]

With Lipo, Pelizzari and Remco , Red bull are stacked for leaders. What they need are some good domestiques.

Well, in theory they would have Hindley, Vlasov and Dani Martinez as domestiques if they can just get their hierarchies sorted.

 

[YavorD]

Well, in theory they would have Hindley, Vlasov and Dani Martinez as domestiques if they can just get their hierarchies sorted.

I mean, Hindley beat Pellizzari in their last GT.
I wouldn't be shocked if he is stronger again.

 

[ingsve]

I mean, Hindley beat Pellizzari in their last GT.
I wouldn't be shocked if he is stronger again.

Pellizzari is the developing youngster getting stronger race by race and Hindley is an overrated has been.

 

[YavorD]

Pellizzari is the developing youngster getting stronger race by race and Hindley is an overrated has been.

Let's see how the Giro develops. I think it's a bit harsh to call Hindley "an overrated has been". He can easily podium this race.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Pellizzari is the developing youngster getting stronger race by race and Hindley is an overrated has been.

You can never be a has-been if you managed the third-highest GT result of your career in the most recent GT.

 

[search]

You can never be a has-been if you managed the third-highest GT result of your career in the most recent GT.

so there's still hope for Caruso, you say?

 

[YavorD]

so there's still hope for Caruso, you say?

Yes, we still hope for his infamous descent atack.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

so there's still hope for Caruso, you say?

I did deliberately phrase it as the most recent GT, rather than his most recent GT.

But there's definitely hope for Caruso to manage another top-10, perhaps even the middle of the top-10, in this field.

 

[yaco]

Schmid to Q36.5. A strange choice of teams, seeing that the races Schmid would target would often overlap with Pidcock. It makes no sense for me.

 

[Netserk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2054085480040312873

View: https://x.com/cirogazzetta/status/2054085480040312873

 

[Bkinn]

Schmid to Q36.5. A strange choice of teams, seeing that the races Schmid would target would often overlap with Pidcock. It makes no sense for me.

2 million for year in a 3 year contract makes sense for Schmid. And Q36.5 needs to improve the squad because without Pidcock points they would be competing with Caja Rural in the ranking.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The St Michel-Preference Home-Auber 93 men's team is folding after the season and the sole focus will be on the women's team going forward. Of course the message was originally the opposite ahead of the 2025 season before Preference Home came on board, so maybe there's still a chance that this decision isn't final either.

That said, Premier Tech has also joined as a sponsor this year, and while the men's team has no Canadian riders at the moment multiple have signed for the W team, so the odds of a change of heart don't seem great (although I don't know whether PT will even be involved with them in the future).

Un nouveau chapitre pour notre secteur Professionnel

Communiqué – Aubervilliers, le 12 mai 2026 Depuis plus de 70 ans, le CM AUBERVILLIERS 93 Cyclisme est un acteur majeur du cyclisme français. Parmi les meilleures formations amateures dans les…

auber93cyclisme.com

 

[yaco]

2 million for year in a 3 year contract makes sense for Schmid. And Q36.5 needs to improve the squad because without Pidcock points they would be competing with Caja Rural in the ranking.

But is it a good choice for Schmid. I can think of 8 or 10 teams who would be a better fit for Schmid. I'll also add that I often worry when a rider changes teams because they are under a different coaching regime which does not work for the the rider. Finally, i query the 2m figure because my understanding is that Schmid is on 1.5m this year and it would be strange that Jayco could not match that figure. I suspect the figure is more than 2 million.

 

[AlfaLum]

I think it is not a bad choice for Schmid. Pidcock is not the big favorite in the Ardennes classic either, so they can work together and it will give both of them options in the end.

And for the remainder of the calendar Pidcock seems to be more and more focused on stage races and GTs while Schmid can fill has calendar with important one day races and some easier stage races to grab a lot of results. And with the team they have Pinarello can even target the Australian races that Schmid seems to like a lot.

 

[TheKidsCallMeBoss]

But is it a good choice for Schmid. I can think of 8 or 10 teams who would be a better fit for Schmid. I'll also add that I often worry when a rider changes teams because they are under a different coaching regime which does not work for the the rider. Finally, i query the 2m figure because my understanding is that Schmid is on 1.5m this year and it would be strange that Jayco could not match that figure. I suspect the figure is more than 2 million.

The Saudis may want to stop sponsoring the sport. Jayco probably won't be able to cough up 2 million euros to Schmid, I would think.

I doubt there are 8-10 teams that would be a better fit for him. Schmid always races for himself. He doesn't do any domestique work, which would render him useless to most teams. Q36.5 is perfect for him as the team doesn't have any major GC contenders or top sprinters. In Grand Tour races, he can do whatever he wants and go for the breakaway whenever he likes.