Cycling Transfer Market 2027: The transfer window is officially open.

The 2027 transfer season in professional cycling has officially begun. While the historic August 1st rule is no longer as binding as it once was, the first of the month still marked the start of a flurry of announcements that will dominate the coming weeks. For those who play fantasy cycling, this is the crucial time to start sniffing out the right moves ahead of the next auction.

Many contracts have already been renewed, and several deals have been concluded even before the fateful August 1st, thanks to the more flexible rules for riders without an active professional contract. Several teams have also already confirmed the arrival of their new pros from development teams, a detail not to be overlooked for those seeking low-cost surprises for their fantasy rosters.

The hottest news of the last few weeks

The week following the Tour de France Femmes brought a series of significant twists. Among them were Megan Arens's surprise exit from the troubled Picnic PostNL team, Femke Markus's move from SD Worx-Protime to Visma-Lease a Bike (a valuable addition for the Dutch team's Classics campaign), and Marta Lach's signing with Human Powered Health.

On the men's side, keep an eye on the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe signing of Georg Steinhauser from EF Education-EasyPost: a profile that could prove a winning bet for those who land him at a low price in fantasy football-style auctions. Also noteworthy is the young American talent AJ August, already on target five times this year at just 20 years old, who will leave Netcompany Ineos for Pinarello-Q36.5, a Swiss team building a truly intriguing roster for 2027.

Rumors and Talk: Who to Watch Out For

Among the hottest and still unofficial negotiations, the name of Paula Blasi stands out, an emerging star who is reportedly leaving UAE Team L'IMAD early for another team, willing to pay a hefty termination clause.

There are also rumors of Kasia Niewiadoma's departure from Canyon-SRAM, with a destination still unknown. Also noteworthy is the emergence of a new entity in the women's peloton: Decathlon CMA CGM will launch a women's ProTeam for 2027, and it appears to have already completed a roster of ten riders. A team yet to be discovered, potentially full of outsiders to bet on.

On the men's front, Primož Roglič could leave Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe to extend his career, with the surprising Lotto-Intermarché vying for his contract. Such a move could revolutionize the team's balance in stage races. The long-term future of Paul Seixas remains open to debate, though Isaac del Toro's contract extension with UAE Team Emirates-XRG could be a sign that the young French talent won't end there.

Withdrawals and riders without contracts

There's no shortage of definitive farewells to the group: Damiano Caruso, Magnus Cort, Pello Bilbao, Steven Kruijswijk, Amanda Spratt, and Bauke Mollema have already announced their retirements. Kim Cadzow has also retired from the sport with immediate effect, news that has come as a surprise to fans.

The situation of Giro d'Italia winner Tao Geoghegan Hart, currently without a contract with Lidl-Trek and appearing to be on the decline this year, will need to be closely monitored. Only later in the season will it be clear which of the top riders will be truly struggling to find a new position.

The most active teams on the men's market

Among the confirmed moves in the men's WorldTour, the trio of reinforcements from Decathlon CMA CGM stands out. They are building their team around Paul Seixas, adding Laurens De Plus and other top-notch domestiques. Lotto-Intermarché has secured its young prospect Jarno Widar with a contract extension until 2028, while saying goodbye to Arnaud De Lie, who is headed to Tudor.

There's also significant movement at Soudal-QuickStep, which loses Mikel Landa (surprisingly moving to Euskaltel-Euskadi, a return to its roots) but gains Lorenzo Milesi from Movistar and Tim Torn Teutenberg from Lidl-Trek. This incoming transfer could make the Belgian team a potential threat in the early-season fantasy classics.

UAE Team Emirates-XRG continues its consolidation, securing Isaac del Toro until 2031 and also renewing Brandon McNulty and Jhonatan Narváez. A clear signal: the Emirati powerhouse aims to remain dominant for many years to come.