Rumours swirl about riders hopping from one team to another long before cycling’s transfer window officially opens at the start of August. Managers and agents have spent the months leading up to this date negotiating salaries and contracts, while riders race hard to gain results and get noticed by teams with the biggest budgets. If a contract is signed and sorted by August 1, riders can count themselves in a good position for the following season: things have been decided early and the rest of their current agreement can be played out with little stress. Others will not be so lucky and it can be a race against the clock to get their signature on paper.
In both the men’s and women’s sides of the sport, we can expect plenty of changes for the 2025 season. Teams like Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have increased budgets for signing big riders thanks to new sponsors, while others like Ineos Grenadiers look to be saying goodbye to some of their bigger stars, focusing on investing in younger talent. On the women’s side, Demi Vollering is leaving SD Worx-Protime, as two-time world champion Anna van der Breggen will come out of retirement to race for the Dutch squad again in 2025.
It’s all change again in the world of professional cycling, and here are some of the key moves that have caught our attention so far.
*this page will be updated as more transfers are announced
Jhonatan Narváez - Ineos Grenadiers to UAE Team Emirates
It is not known whether Jhonatan Narváez knew he was outsprinting his future teammate when he beat in Tadej Pogačar to the stage victory on the opening day of the Giro d'Italia in Turin earlier this year, or whether that was what earned him a contract with UAE Team Emirates for the next two seasons. Either way, it’s fair to say that after the season the Ecuadorian rider has had, Ineos Grenadiers’ loss is UAE Team Emirates gain.
Narváez moves to the Emirati team after spending five seasons at Ineos and he’s not the only rider to make this switch in the last couple of years – Adam Yates and Pavel Sivakov also both moved to UAE from the British team. When UAE Team Emirates announced the signing of Narváez, the 27-year-old stated that he was happy to be moving to the “best team in the world” for 2025. This is another signifier of the change in the structure of men’s professional cycling – Ineos Grenadiers (formerly Team Sky) were once at the cutting edge of innovation and widely regarded as the best organisation in the sport. It’s clear now, with their three Tour de France victories, that UAE Team Emirates have taken that position.
Where Narváez will fit into an outfit largely based around supporting Tadej Pogačar to victory in whichever race he pleases is yet to be determined. He has proven himself to be well-suited to tough one-day Classics and adept at fighting for stage wins in Grand Tours, but these ambitions will need to fit into the wider goals of UAE Team Emirates. Despite his winning abilities, Narváez will undoubtedly have duties as a worker for Pogačar when needed, something he will need to monitor to ensure he still gets his own chances for success.
Cat Ferguson - Shibden Apex RT to Movistar Team
British rider Cat Ferguson’s move to Movistar was announced last year, but it is as of August 1 that the 18-year-old is officially a member of the Spanish team. There is no doubt that Ferguson would have had a number of offers from all of the big women’s WorldTeams after her two seasons as a junior rider – she has podiumed in every single race she’s started this season and is the number one ranked female junior rider in the world. A clean sweep of stage wins and the overall recently at Bizkaikoloreak (a tough Nations Cup race in Spain) is proof that Ferguson is a talented climber, but much of the excitement around her potential also comes from her versatility. While she can distance her rivals in the mountains, Ferguson also has no problems excelling on the cobbles, finishing in second place at the junior edition of the Tour of Flanders this season, as well as second at the Lincoln GP while riding in the elite category.
It’s a big win for Movistar to be the team which has secured Ferguson’s signature for this year. With the departure of Annemiek van Vleuten at the end of last season, the Spanish outfit have struggled to find as much success in 2024 without the Dutchwoman at the helm. Ferguson represents an investment from Movistar in building a team for the future, developing and nurturing young talent. However, although Ferguson has proven herself as one of the most exciting up-and-coming riders in the women’s peloton, it will be crucial for her progress in the elite category to be monitored and steady in order to ensure the longevity of her career.
Ben O'Connor - Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to Team Jayco-AlUla
With Simon Yates set to depart Jayco-Alula at the end of this season, the Australian team was in need of a rider to fit the bill as their lead general classification rider as they target podiums at Grand Tours. Ben O’Connor has shown his potential in three-week stage races in the past, namely in 2021 when he won stage 9 and finished in fourth place overall at the Tour de France. The 28-year-old hasn’t, so far, been able to make it to that elusive podium spot in a Grand Tour, but it seems he believes that Jayco-Alula could help him get there.
O’Connor has spent four years with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale and it will be a big change for the Australian rider in 2025. Jayco-Alula are slowly building a strong general classification team with home-grown talent including the likes of Luke Plapp, a promising GC rider for the future. O’Connor and Plapp will race alongside Chris Harper and Eddie Dunbar, both of whom have also shown potential in shorter stage races.
In a press release from his future team, O’Connor said: “To be honest, it’s really an idea I’ve always loved; to race as an Aussie and win on an Aussie team. I’m at a point now where I need to deliver, so it’ll be even more special to do it with an Australian set-up. To have the opportunity to race with mates at the top level is rare, and I am just so keen to get stuck in.
"My ambitions are to stay aggressive, consistent, and hopefully one day change these fourth-place overall finishes at Grand Tours into overall podium placings. Victories are just as important, and throwing the hands up in the air as soon as I can is high on the list.
Anna van der Breggen - SD Worx-Protime
Anna van der Breggen’s return to SD Worx-Protime isn’t strictly a transfer, but it has big implications for the shape of the women’s peloton in 2025. During her career, the Dutch rider was regarded as a generational talent, winning La Flèche Wallonne seven times, securing two World Championship titles, an Olympic gold medal and four Giro d’Italia overall victories. The one race that is missing from Van der Breggen’s decorated palmarès, however, is the Tour de France Femmes. The race didn’t exist during the 34-year-old’s career, but is in its third iteration this year. Van der Breggen has been involved in the event as a sports director for SD Worx-Protime, but it seems the temptation of adding a yellow jersey to her collection was enough to entice the Dutchwoman into a comeback for 2025.
It’s a good job for SD Worx, too, as they are set to lose their current general classification rider in Demi Vollering at the end of this year as she heads to pastures new (her next team is still to be officially confirmed.) As Van der Breggen has worked closely with Vollering as a sports director, she will be acutely aware of the power numbers and requirements to win on the biggest stage and will have a clear understanding of Vollering’s mentality. We are set for a fiery battle between the pair at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes.
Simon Yates - Team Jayco-Alula to Visma-Lease a Bike
One of the few riders to have stage wins in all three of cycling’s Grand Tours and a former Vuelta a España winner, it’s no surprise that there is hot competition for Simon Yates’ signature when his contract comes up for renewal. The British rider proved to be crucial to bolstering Jayco-Alula’s climbing contingent this season and he secured the Australian team an important victory at their sponsor race, the Alula Tour. Since then, Yates had a somewhat disappointing Tour de France campaign after losing time on the opening weekend, but he recovered later in the race to get two podium finishes on two different stages and haul himself up to 12th overall.
The 31-year-old’s consistency and experience makes him a valuable player in any team, however, and Yates is expected to fit well into the structure at Visma-Lease a Bike. He will play an integral part in Jonas Vingegaard’s attempt to reclaim the yellow jersey in 2025, and we should also see him get the chance to go for his own results in other Grand Tours and shorter stage races.
"We are very pleased to have convinced someone with such a track record to choose our team," Visma-Lease a Bike’s sports director Grischa Niermann commented in a press release. "He is an excellent climber and a significant boost for our general classification squad. Simon will have the opportunity to go for his own results with us, but he will also be a valuable asset for the team in the mountains. We believe that with our way of working, he can reach an even higher level"
Bob Jungels - Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe to Ineos Grenadiers
While the Ineos Grenadiers have historically taken the approach of developing and investing in younger talent, their signing of Bob Jungels shows that the British outfit are aware of the need for an experienced road captain in their ranks. Jungels has been a professional for over a decade and has victories in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and a Tour de France stage win. In his last two years with Bora-Hansgrohe, Jungels has proved himself to be an invaluable asset in Grand Tour teams, able to do important jobs on a range of terrain. He also isn’t afraid to go for his own results in tough one-day races, something that Ineos have shown to be a priority for them in recent seasons.
"I'm thrilled to be joining the Ineos Grenadiers. This is a team that I've always admired, and this opportunity has come along at the perfect time," Jungels said in a press release. "I truly believe that within this environment I’ll be able to take my performance to the next level, while at the same time sharing my experience within the group. The team’s ambition, approach and attention to detail is impressive, and I truly believe that the future here is very bright. I’m really looking forward to being a part of that."
It’s certainly a transitional period for the Ineos Grenadiers at the moment, and the team will hope that Jungels can be crucial in being a mentor figure to the younger riders in the team. His attitude, approach and mentality seems to be as important to the team as his physical capabilities are, so it will be interesting to see the impact that he has over the next two years.
Juliette Labous - Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL to FDJ-Suez
Juliette Labous is one of France’s current biggest hopes to win a yellow jersey, so it’s understandable that the country’s number one WorldTour team have been keen to secure her signature for some time now. The 25-year-old has finished in the top five of the three major tours: 4th in the Tour de France Femmes in 2022, 2nd in the Giro d'Italia Donne 2023, 4th in the Vuelta España Femenina in 2024. Labous is one of the most exciting climbing talents of her generation and will form part of a serious Grand Tour team for FDJ-Suez in 2025. Credit should be given to Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL for their clever and steady development of the Frenchwoman – they have ensured that Labous has raced a balanced calendar throughout her seven years with the French squad.
“It is with immense pride and pleasure that we welcome Juliette into the FDJ-Suez family. French Champion and top five in the last two Tours de France, Juliette is a remarkable athlete and, undeniably, one of the best climbers in the professional peloton. We are also honoured by the confidence that Juliette places in our project and our vision. Her arrival is one more step towards the realisation of our sporting ambitions,” Stephen Delcourt, FDJ-Suez’s General Manager commented in a press release from the team.
Lenny Martinez - Groupama FDJ to Bahrain Victorious
While he might have ridden a lacklustre Tour de France this year after being called up to race at the last minute by Groupama FDJ, Lenny Martinez still believes he is capable of winning yellow one day. Bahrain Victorious thinks that they are the right team to help him get there, signing the young Frenchman for the next three seasons with the ambition of helping Martinez to victory on the sport’s biggest stage. The 21-year-old is already viewed as one of the most exciting climbers in the current WorldTour peloton with six race wins so far in his career. Martinez also made history last year when he became the youngest ever leader of the Vuelta a España after a strong first week.
Milan Erzen, Bahrain Victorious team manager said: “When we started this project in 2017, we dreamed of achieving a podium at the Tour de France with a French rider from our team. We believe Lenny gives us that chance. His talent, dedication, and spirit align perfectly with our team’s vision.”
Martinez’s performances so far in his career present him as a rider who has all of the ingredients to be a future Grand Tour winner. He has shown his versatility with an eighth place on the tricky and technical white roads of Strade Bianche and he finished second behind Jonas Vingegaard in the O Gran Camiño stage race.
“I am extremely happy to join Team Bahrain Victorious for the next three seasons. The solid project around the team and myself convinced me. Together, we have great ambitions, and I am convinced we will achieve great things," Martinez said.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot - Ineos Grenadiers to Visma-Lease a Bike
It’s all change in the women’s peloton next season and we can expect some incredibly competitive racing as a result. Alongside Anna van der Breggen coming out of retirement, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has announced her return to road racing after a period where she focused solely on mountain biking and cyclo-cross with the Ineos Grenadiers. Ferrand-Prévot has chosen the Dutch Visma-Lease a Bike squad as the team she will ride for in her highly-anticipated road season next year, agreeing a three-year deal riding in yellow and black.
While she has been absent from the road scene for a few years, Ferrand-Prévot already has some formidable results on the tarmac – she became world champion on the road in Ponferrada in 2014, having already won La Flèche Wallonne and placed second overall at the Giro Rosa that season. The Frenchwoman also recently achieved her career-goal of a gold medal in her home Olympics in Paris, proving that, even if she’s a little rusty in road racing, she won’t have any issues when it comes to her physical ability.
In the announcement of Ferrand-Prévot’s arrival, Visma-Lease a Bike were clear with their ambitions for the 32-year-old. Team manager Rutger Tijssen commented: "Pauline is an exceptionally talented athlete who decided to devote herself entirely to mountain biking a few years ago. With her Olympic gold medal, she has now completed mountain biking. I admire that she has taken the bold decision to return to the road with a clear objective: to win the Tour de France Femmes."
Elisa Longo-Borghini - Lidl-Trek to UAE Team ADQ
In perhaps one of the most unexpected transfers of the season, Italian champion Elisa Longo-Borghini leaves her long-time home at Lidl-Trek to join Emirati women's squad UAE Team ADQ. However, with a largely Italian identity and staff contingent, Longo-Borghini shouldn't struggle to fit in here, especially considering she brings two teammates with her from Lidl-Trek in Elynor Bäckstedt and Brodie Chapman. Riding for a slightly weaker WorldTour team will give Longo-Borghini undisputed leadership in both the Classics and the Grand Tours – the pressure will be on for the 32-year-old to perform as this is one of the biggest signings UAE Team ADQ has made since its inception.
Longo-Borghini wasn't afraid to be honest about her lofty ambitions next season in the team's press release announcing her arrival, stating: "I’m really looking forward to targeting many races with this team. I will try to defend my title at the Giro d’Italia, and try to win the Tour de France, and one of the Ardennes."
The Italian rider has had an impressive 2024 season, winning the Tour of Flanders and the Giro d'Italia Donne. She's also proven herself to be a formidable teammate at Lidl-Trek and will undoubtedly be able to help mentor the younger riders on UAE Team ADQ, raising the overall level of the ambitious WorldTour team.
Pablo Castrillo - Equipo Kern Pharma to Movistar
After his breakthrough Vuelta a España stage wins, it's unsurprising that a huge number of teams were fighting for the signature of Spanish climber Pablo Castrillo. In the end, however, the 23-year-old has opted to stay close to home with Movistar, agreeing a three-year contract.
“The last few weeks have been a huge leap forward for me as a person, crowned with this WorldTour contract with a squad like the Movistar Team. They are the reference in Spanish cycling, and it’s always motivating to race for this team," Castrillo said in a press release announcing his move. “I’m now entering off-season mode and trying to fathom all that’s happened in La Vuelta and the whole 2024 season, which I think was really consistent from my side. Those two wins; also, being able to end the race at the home of my new team, with those impressive Telefónica headquarters — it’s been really intense, and I won’t easily forget it."
Whether Movistar will encourage Castrillo to continue to fight for stage wins or if they will mould him into a general classification rider in Grand Tours is yet to be seen, but the Aragón-born rider certainly has a bright future ahead of him.
Ethan Hayter - Ineos Grenadiers to Soudal-Quick-Step
Winner of both the Tour of Poland and the Tour of Norway in 2021 and 2022 respectively, Ethan Hayter is one of the most promising British talents of his generation. With his focus on track riding at the Olympics, the 26-year-old hasn't fulfilled all expectations on the road this year, seeming to struggle to shine with Ineos Grenadiers. His move to a new team as he contract expired was unsurprising and Soudal-Quick-Step could to be a good fit for the London-born rider.
“Ethan is a multi-discipline rider, somebody who is used to winning and who has caught our attention with his many qualities, which he has showcased in the World Tour from a young age. He will soon be 26, but he can become even better and this, together with his desire to work hard and thrive in this environment, makes us confident in the success of our partnership”, said Soudal Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere when his team's acquisition of Hayter was announced.
It's expected that British national champion will focus on the hilly Classics in the next few seasons with the Belgian squad – he's a talented climber who can also pack a fast sprint at the finish thanks to his track background.
Julian Alaphilippe - Soudal-Quick-Step to Tudor Pro Cycling
After more than ten years with Lefevere's Belgian team, 2025 will see a big change for Julian Alaphilippe. The twice former world champion, six-time Tour de France stage winner, three-time Flèche Wallonne winner, and Milano-Sanremo, Strade Bianche and Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa victor will join Tudor Pro Cycling next season, a team run by former-professional rider Fabian Cancellara. Although Alaphilippe undeniably has some extremely happy memories with Soudal-Quick-Step, the relationship between him and the team began to sour after crashes, illness and injuries caused him to underperform for the last few seasons. He'll be looking forward to a fresh start at Tudor next year.
“I want to perform at the highest level and see the group develop. I dream of returning to the roads of the Tour de France with the team one day, but important races like the Classics come first. It's a big change but getting back on the winning path with the team will be a great satisfaction and I hope it is the beginning of great things," the Frenchaman stated in the team's press release.
Oier Lazkano - Movistar to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe have been a busy team this transfer season, bolstering both their Classics and Grand Tour squads with plenty of new signings. Basque-all rounder Oier Lazkano comes to the team after a long stint at Movistar where he impressed with his performances, finishing third in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne earlier this year and taking a solo win in Clásica Jaén after a long day in the breakaway. Alongside riders like Finn Fisher-Black and Laurence Pithie, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe enter the 2025 season with an impressively refreshed team which covers all terrain – they will be ones to watch next year.
Lazkano is expected to continue to target one-day races and stage victories for the German team, but he also has shown promise in shorter stage races with a top 10 overall finish at the Critérium du Dauphiné this year too. The 24-year-old said in a press release: "I'm very excited to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. I think it will be a big step forward in my career. I am very grateful to the team for their confidence in me."
Niamh Fisher-Black - SD Worx-Protime to Lidl-Trek
Another team seeing plenty of change in 2025 is American Women's WorldTour team Lidl-Trek. Anna Henderson, Emma Norsgaard and Riejanne Markus are three key signings Lidl-Trek have made to bolster their women's roster ahead of next season for the Classics, but Niamh Fisher-Black is a recruit made for her potential in the mountains. The Kiwi climber has shown huge promise at SD Worx, winning a stage of the women's Giro d'Italia this year and the Queen stage of the Tour de Suisse in 2023. She's proven to be an asset to the likes of Demi Vollering, working as a super-domestique for the former Tour de France Femmes champion in this year's edition of the race.
Fisher-Black has struggled to get her own opportunities on a team stacked with super talents on SD Worx, however, so she will be hoping for more of a free role on Lidl-Trek where she can go for her own chances at victory. With Longo-Borghini's departure, there's definitely some space now in Lidl-Trek's climbing contingent, and Fisher-Black should make a winning combination with the Gaia Realini who is another of the team's talented riders when the roads kick up.
Speaking about her transfer, Fisher-Black said: "I am eager to explore my potential in GC riding, perhaps starting with shorter stage races and progressing to the Grand Tour lengths. I am realistic that I have some work to do, but I am confident that Lidl-Trek will be able to provide the stable footing and supportive environment that I need to take these steps."
Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig - FDJ-Suez to Canyon//SRAM
After signing for FDJ-Suez in 2020, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig will wave goodbye to the French team in 2024, moving to Canyon//SRAM. She will race alongside Tour de France Femmes winner Kasia Niewiadoma at the German squad and explains that she hopes to get back to her former level as a result of this change. Uttrup Ludwig is a Tour stage winner and a few seasons ago was one of the leading general classification riders in the women's peloton. She's struggled with illness and injury in the last few years, but a fresh start might be exactly what she needs to get back on track.
“2024 has been a tough season for me. Lots of crashes and sickness. I really want to put all this behind me and get back to my old form. In this way, I can contribute to a super dynamic team and reach our goals together," Uttrup-Ludwig said in the team's press release. “Sometimes you gain strength through hard times. For example, in the first Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, most of the team crashed on stage two, and we lost a lot of time in the general classification. But the day after, we managed to bounce back and win the stage. That’s one of the proudest moments of my career. Never give up.”
Demi Vollering - SD Worx-Protime to FDJ Suez
Given the controversy and drama that has surrounded her last couple of seasons with SD Worx-Protime, few were surprised when Demi Vollering announced she would be leaving the team at the end of this year. The Dutch rider has had plenty of success with SD Worx, winning the Tour de France Femmes last year, but her four seasons with the team has been marred by infighting and leadership issues too. Vollering narrowly missed out on another yellow jersey this season, losing the Tour by just five seconds behind Kasia Niewiadoma after crashing midway through the race and relinquishing the lead. A fresh start could be exactly what the 27-year-old needs to become a Tour champion once again.
FDJ-Suez might be the perfect team to help her get there. The French squad have been vocal about their desires to win the Tour – their home race – and have bolstered their climbing contingent so that Vollering will have a strong team behind her in 2025. Perhaps the only surprising element to her contract is that Vollering has signed for just two years with the French squad – a marked difference to the long contracts we are seeing for the top riders on the men’s side of the sport. Short term, however, the Dutchwoman’s main focus will be on maintaining the dominance she currently exhibits in the high mountains, with her sights set on both the Ardennes Classics and general classification wins in the major Grand Tours next season.
In a press release from FDJ-Suez, Vollering stated: “With this team, after the [first] meeting, I couldn't get my smile off my face. I was thinking: ‘I found a new place to grow’. I felt deep inside: this is the team I want to sign for. I'm really excited to start this journey, to have something new and discover myself again. It's really nice to work with new people. It's going to be a really strong team and I'm sure that we can accomplish a lot of things together. I also know that the team will not hesitate to go for GC with me.”
This page will be updated as more transfers are announced. See below for a full list of the confirmed 2025 transfers
Data powered by FirstCycling.com
