The 2018-2019 transfer market has already gone through pretty much a full swing, with most teams now boasting near-complete rosters for the coming season. Before a fresh group of riders set out to race in their new teams, let's cast an eye back to last season's window.
While there were a number of high-profile moves that, for whatever reason, didn't live up to their billing - a theme we'll get to in a later article - there weren't quite as many glaring successes as in recent years. But there were nevertheless a couple of standout transfers that paid off spectacularly, along with shrewd acquisitions and coming-of-age performances in fresh colours.
Cyclingnews has taken a closer look at the pick of the bunch from the last window.
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Egan Bernal (Androni-Sidermec to Team Sky)
Egan Bernal already considered one of the brightest talents in the sport before he pulled on the Team Sky jersey, but his reputation was enhanced with each and every pedal stroke in what has been an extraordinary debut WorldTour season.
The Colombian had been snapped up by Androni Giocattoli manager Gianni Savio three years ago when he was a mountain biker with little experience on the road. In what has become a key part of Savio's business model, Bernal was signed on a four-year deal, leaving WorldTour teams with a hefty fee to buy out the contract when they came knocking. After a string of eye-catching performances in 2016 and 2017 - not least a dominant win at the Tour de l'Avenir - Team Sky reached into their pockets. The investment was returned with interest, and last month Sky were forking out again with a new five-year contract - almost unheard of in modern cycling.
Bernal started strongly with sixth place overall at the WorldTour-level Tour Down Under, and then shone on home soil, landing the elite national time trial title before winning the Colombia Oro y Paz with a dramatic final-stage smash and grab. He then impressed at a true top-level event, sitting second overall at the Volta a Catalunya, only to crash out on the final stage. He bounced back from injury rapidly, and proceeded to win a stage and finish second overall at the WorldTour-level Tour de Romandie in esteemed company. Two weeks later he was on his way to overall victory - via two stage wins - at the Tour of California, another WorldTour event.
Elia Viviani (Team Sky to Quick-Step Floors)
Ruth Winder (UnitedHealthcare to Sunweb)
Matej Mohoric (UAE Team Emirates to Bahrain-Merida)
Mikel Nieve (Team Sky to Mitchelton-Scott)
Jolien D'hoore (Wiggle High5 to Mitchelton-Scott)
Omar Fraile (Dimension Data to Astana)
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/top-7-transfer-successes-of-2018
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