We are becoming more and more used to transfer season being extremely chaotic as teams with newfound funds look to splash the cash. This window hasn’t been any different, making it one of the busiest in recent memory as several teams try and reshape, rebrand or just flex their financial muscles with some stand-out names.
Filippo Ganna is probably the biggest move on the men’s side of the sport as he was announced to be moving from Netcompany-Ineos to Lidl-Trek on October 13. The move ends eight years with the British team.
Lidl-Trek have been the busiest WorldTour team on splashing the cash on both the men’s and women’s sides of the sport. On the men's side, Ganna follows Felix Gall, Jordi Meeus, Georg Zimmermann, Igor Arrieta, Gregor Mühlberger and Jordan Jegat. On the women's side, Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney arrives with Ally Wollaston and Arlenis Sierra, and Blanka Vas is already riding in the team's colours. The signings follow a management overhaul during 2026 that made Andy Schleck CEO and brought in Grischa Niermann as chief sporting officer, on top of the arrivals of Juan Ayuso and Derek Gee-West for this season.
Netcompany INEOS has moved the other way. Ganna, Magnus Sheffield, Sam Welsford, Andrew August, Artem Shmidt and Ben Turner are all leaving. The team is rebuilding with Joe Blackmore, James Shaw, Harold Tejada, Clément Champoussin, Markel Beloki and Riley Sheehan, a mix of experience and developing talent with no direct replacement for Ganna's time-trial and Classics strength. Egan Bernal, whose contract runs through 2029, has said he intends to start 2027 but has not decided how much longer he will race.
Lotto-Intermarché loses two leaders it developed, Arnaud De Lie and Lennert Van Eetvelt. Two ProTeams have taken WorldTour riders. Tudor Pro Cycling signed De Lie, Kaden Groves and Nico Denz. Pinarello Q36.5 added Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), Ethan Hayter, Davide Ballerini and August. Uno-X Mobility has been busy with both its teams, landing Sheffield and Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig.
Most of the moves below take effect on January 1, 2027. Three women have already changed teams or are about to. Fem van Empel returned with FDJ United-Suez from September 17, Vas joined Lidl-Trek on October 1 and Shirin van Anrooij starts with CANYON//SRAM on November 1.
Men's WorldTour
Filippo Ganna: Netcompany INEOS to Lidl-Trek, from 2027 through 2029
Ganna is definitely the biggest name to move from the men’s side of the sport with the two-time ITT world champion deciding that he needed a change of scene with a move to Lidl-Trek, a team that includes the rest of his Italian team pursuit squad.
Ganna brings Olympic team-pursuit gold, eight Giro d'Italia stage wins, two Vuelta a España stages, five Tirreno-Adriatico stages and the men's Hour Record. In 2026 he won Dwars door Vlaanderen and finished on the Milano-Sanremo podium for the second time.
He will, of course, still be riding for the ITTs but also aiming for the Classics in a squad that includes former world road race champion and Gent-Wevelgem winner Mads Pedersen among others. When he signed his three-year deal, he made clear he expects to help others as well as ride for himself.
"I have big goals I hope to achieve with Lidl-Trek, particularly in the Classics – with the team we will have, nothing is out of reach," Ganna said. "Of course, the Grand Tours remain an important objective, and I look forward to supporting the team whilst taking my own chances."
Ganna accepts that Pedersen is the main man for the team in the Classics but hopes they can work off each other well: "Mads is number one for the team and I hope to be a good shoulder for him and also the other way round, I know he will be a good supporter for me," Ganna said.
Felix Gall: Decathlon CMA CGM to Lidl-Trek, from 2027 through 2029
Gall has had the best season of his career with two fantastic Grand Tour performances where he finished second in the Giro d’Italia and third in La Vuelta. He also took the overall title at the Vuelta a Burgos. That followed fifth at the 2025 Tour de France and a stage win on the Col de la Loze in 2023. He is now a proven Grand Tour team leader but he is joining a team that is packed to the rafters with GC talent including Ayuso, Gee-West and Mattias Skjelmose, although the Dane is widely rumoured to be leaving the team. Mühlberger, a fellow Austrian, plus current teammate and climbing domestique, makes the same move.
"After wonderful years and the success that came with them, it is now time for me to take the next logical step," Gall said in the team's announcement. "Lidl-Trek's high standards across all aspects of modern cycling align perfectly with my own goal of continuing to develop in the best possible way."
Magnus Sheffield: Netcompany INEOS to Uno-X Mobility, from 2027 through 2030
Sheffield’s move on a four-year contract is a very long-term and eyebrow-raising one from Netcompany-Ineos to the Scandinavian-rooted Uno-X Mobility with the squad getting an all-rounder that has been a bit quiet over the last year or so. He won Brabantse Pijl at 19, has taken the overall runner-up spot at the Tour of Norway, placed fifth at the Tour de Pologne and sixth at the Tour of Flanders, and in 2025 won the final stage of Paris-Nice alone on his way to fourth overall.
Uno-X Mobility have a strict rule for their men’s team where they can only sign riders who are Norwegian or Danish. Officially, Sheffield isn’t either of those. However, the rider from the US has a Norwegian mother and is fluent in the language and the team has been interested in him since he was a junior.
"Joining Uno-X Mobility feels like closing the circle on the journey my mum started when she moved to the US at 20," Sheffield said in the team's announcement of the signing. "Uno-X has always been a team I was interested in, even before I became a professional."
General manager Thor Hushovd said: "Magnus is a rider with enormous potential, and I don't think we have seen the full extent of it yet. He has already finished fourth in Paris-Nice and sixth in Flanders. That tells you a lot about the range he has."
Uno-X has also signed Casper Pedersen, Felix Ørn-Kristoff (half-brother of Alexander Kristoff) and Kristian Egholm for its men's team.
Giulio Ciccone: Lidl-Trek to Pinarello Q36.5, from January 1, 2027 through 2029
Ciccone leaves Lidl-Trek after eight seasons and drops down to a ProTeam with the very well-off Pinarello Q36.5 who are acting like a top WorldTeam, as they know bringing in the right riders will give them the calendar they want. Ciccone’s record includes three Giro stage wins, the Tour de France King of the Mountains jersey and the 2025 Clásica San Sebastián. This year he was second at the European Championships and third at Il Lombardia.
"After eight years with the same team, this is a big decision, but one I genuinely wanted to make," he said when Pinarello Q36.5 announced the deal. "I feel I still have a lot to give, and I needed a new challenge, fresh motivation and an environment where I could feel at home."
The Swiss-registered team is built around Tom Pidcock with Ciccone keen to work with the British multi-discipline star. "I've always admired him, not only because of his talent, but because he's a rider who thinks differently and isn't afraid to do things his own way," Ciccone said. "I hope we can bring something extra to each other and build something special together."
Team principal Douglas Ryder said: "Giulio is a rider who brings something you cannot manufacture: character, instinct and a genuine passion for racing."
Arnaud De Lie: Lotto-Intermarché to Tudor Pro Cycling, from 2027 through 2030
De Lie has won 35 professional races across sprints, Classics and stage races in six seasons at Lotto-Intermarché. His 2026 season was, once again, disrupted by illness, and he abandoned both the Giro and the Tour. He has been having a torrid time of things but is still a star rider who should be getting the big results if he is able to get well and fit enough again.
Tudor has signed him for four years and calls the move a long-term project. With Groves also arriving, the Swiss ProTeam will have two of the peloton's leading fast finishers. "My priority is to settle in, get to know the Team, and keep improving as a rider," De Lie said. "Instead of talking about big goals right away, I want to work hard and see how far we can progress together."
The four-year deal gives De Lie time to work towards the improvement he says he wants.
Lennert Van Eetvelt: Lotto-Intermarché to NSN Cycling, from 2027 on a three-year deal
Van Eetvelt came through Lotto's development ranks and has overall wins in WorldTour stage races at the UAE Tour and the Tour of Guangxi in 2024. He has not won since. A crash and rib injury disrupted his Tour appearances in 2025 and 2026, though he finished second overall at the Arctic Race of Norway this summer.
"I was looking for an international and professional environment to take the next step in my career," he said. "I want to win more races no matter what they are. I know what my capabilities are, and I want to build the strongest palmarès I can from them."
NSN Cycling have been another team splashing the cash with their other arrivals for 2027 including Santiago Buitrago from Bahrain Victorious, Kasper Asgreen from EF Education-EasyPost, Artem Shmidt from Netcompany-Ineos and Cedric Beullens, who also joins from Lotto-Intermarché.
Sam Welsford: Netcompany INEOS to Jayco AlUla, from 2027
Welsford leaves after a single season at Netcompany INEOS. The seven-time Tour Down Under stage winner and Olympic track champion returns to an Australian team.
"After five years racing at the highest level, it feels like the right time to come home and be part of an Australian team with such a strong history in the sport," he said.
It is never a good look for rider or team when they are on the books for just one year. Welsford has only won the one road stage this season in the Tour Down Under while also taking the national and Cadel Evans criterium titles. He has come close on occasion, the closest being on the opening stage of the currently still ongoing Tour of Guangxi in China.
The question is whether riding for an Aussie team will give the Aussie his confidence back, and whether we will see him win outside Australia for the first time since the opening stage of the Tour de Hongrie in 2024.
Women's WorldTour
Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney: CANYON//SRAM to Lidl-Trek, from 2027 through 2028
Niewiadoma-Phinney leaves CANYON//SRAM after nine seasons during which she won the 2024 Tour de France Femmes, finished second this year after winning on Mont Ventoux, and took silver in the World Championships road race three days before the transfer was announced.
"I have spent many years on the same team and the decision to move forward and change the environment wasn't easy until I talked to Lidl-Trek," she said. "Instantly, I felt the team had a plan, trust and belief in me."
Niewiadoma-Phinney has appeared to have stepped up a gear in the last couple of seasons as she has to rise to battle against the likes of world champion Demi Vollering as well as the likes of Elisa Longo-Borghini with the trio making up the final podium at the Tour de France Femmes and the Worlds road race.
The Polish rider has a very strong line-up to support her in her new team with Niamh Fisher-Black, up-and-coming star Isabella Holmgren and Ricarda Bauernfeind. She said she wanted to work out "how we can get faster and how we can raise our hands more often when crossing the finish line".
Blanka Vas: SD Worx-Protime to Lidl-Trek, effective October 1, 2026, through 2028
Vas left SD Worx-Protime mid-contract by mutual agreement to join Lidl-Trek on October 1. The 25-year-old Hungarian has won stages at the Tour de France Femmes and the Giro d'Italia Women and taken several World Championship medals mostly in cyclocross. The early start also means she will race the 2026-27 cyclocross season in Lidl-Trek colours.
SD Worx-Protime said "the sporting ambitions they had hoped for have not been realised over the past year". Vas called it a shared decision. "This was not an easy decision, but after a number of discussions, we all felt that this was the right time to take a different path," she said.
"I'd also like to get some experience in a leadership role at some races and see how I can handle that," she said when Lidl-Trek confirmed her signing.
Shirin van Anrooij: Lidl-Trek to CANYON//SRAM, from November 1, 2026 through 2029
Vas could be seen as the replacement at Lidl-Trek for multi-discipline rider Van Anrooij as the Dutch rider leaves the German-registered squad. She will be starting with her new team of CANYON//SRAM on November 1 so she can appear in her new colours for the cyclocross season.
She will add some extra force to the CANYON//SRAM cross line-up alongside key rider Zoe Bäckstedt, so they can potentially support each other in races. She leaves after almost seven years in the Lidl-Trek set-up. Her road wins include Trofeo Alfredo Binda in 2023 and the overall, mountains classification and a stage at the first Tour de l'Avenir Femmes. She also finished on the podium at the 2024 Tour of Flanders and has won junior and under-23 cyclocross world titles.
"It will be a big change after being on my current team for almost 7 years, but I'm looking forward to developing further in a new environment and seeing what we can achieve together," she said in CANYON//SRAM's announcement.
CANYON//SRAM, which loses Niewiadoma-Phinney, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig and Maike van der Duin, has also signed Georgia Baker and Steffi Häberlin.
Cédrine Kerbaol: EF Education-Oatly to SD Worx-Protime, from 2027 on a two-year deal
Kerbaol adds stage-racing strength to SD Worx-Protime as the team lose a number of riders to other teams. The 25-year-old Frenchwoman finished sixth overall at the 2026 Tour de France Femmes and second at the Tour de Suisse. She will also add some extra strength to some of the big names in the team.
"Cédrine is truly a rider after our own hearts, someone who dares to race and break up races," sporting director Danny Stam said. "In virtually every stage race she enters, she finishes in the top 10."
Kerbaol said she spoke to Anna van der Breggen before signing. "Her experience as a GC rider convinced me that this is the right environment for me to develop further as a stage racer," she said. "I'm actually still at the very start of my career."
The Dutch team has also signed Axelle Dubau-Prévot, Rachele Barbieri and Eline Jansen.
Pfeiffer Georgi: Picnic PostNL to UAE Team L'IMAD, from 2027 on a three-year deal
Georgi leaves the only professional team she has ridden for as she becomes the latest big name to leave Picnic-PostNL. The three-time British champion has won Brugge-De Panne and finished on the podium at Paris-Roubaix Femmes. Her new team said she will focus first on the spring Classics.
"I have been in the same team for my eight years as a professional and am excited to enter a new environment at this point in my career," she said in UAE Team L'IMAD's announcement. "I want to continue to improve my climbing ability to open up more opportunities in races and perform better in longer stage races."
Georgi has spent the last year recovering from a crash at the Tour de France in 2024 in which she fractured her neck. She has been working to regain confidence and form with results starting to come through again. She joins UAE just as the team loses key domestique Brodie Chapman to Liv-AlUla-Jayco.
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig: CANYON//SRAM to Uno-X Mobility, from 2027 on a two-year deal
Uttrup Ludwig won a stage of the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, the 2022 Tour of Scandinavia and bronze in the 2023 World Championships road race but has not found the same form as the sport continues to evolve and improve around her. She moves after two seasons at CANYON//SRAM, which followed five years in the FDJ programme.
"The last couple of years have been difficult in many ways, so it means a lot to me to step into an environment where I feel a sense of calm and a real belief in what we can achieve," the 31-year-old Dane said. "Uno-X seems incredibly professional in everything they do, and that gives me the confidence to find myself again and build towards my highest level."
Uno-X has also signed Usoa Ostolaza, fourth overall at La Vuelta Femenina, and is promoting Silje Weitze Antvorskov.
Fem van Empel: returns with FDJ United-Suez, effective September 17, 2026
Van Empel won three straight elite cyclocross world titles, then ended her Visma | Lease a Bike contract in December 2025, saying the motivation and enjoyment had gone. Her pause began on January 1. In early September she said she was "healthier and happier than ever", without committing to a return. Two weeks later FDJ United-Suez signed her with immediate effect.
The team has spoken about building a multidisciplinary programme around riders' individual ambitions, and said its priority is helping Van Empel enjoy riding again. It has not announced her first race or any road or cyclocross schedule.
"I am ready for a new adventure and very excited about starting from scratch," Van Empel said. "Above all, I want to have a lot of fun."
