Professional Cycling's official transfer window opens on Thursday with a number of big-name riders and teams expected to reveal their plans for the 2020 season and beyond. With most rider contracts only two years, hundreds of riders are on the market and so are expected to spark a game of musical chairs in the coming weeks as they fight with a number of talented neo-pros for a place in the 2020 peloton.
Under UCI rules, riders can change teams mid-season between August 1-15, while a change of teams between two calendar seasons can be announced between August 1 and December 31. We can expect a number of announcement as soon as Thursday morning.
Next year marks the start of a three-year cycle for the UCI WorldTour, with some leading teams making a extra effort to rebuild their rosters for the future.
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After the threat of a legal challenge, the UCI changed the qualification rules, ensuring all the current 18 WorldTour teams will have a place in the sport's highest division going forward. New rules for 2020-2022 allow up to two additional teams to step up to WorldTour level, and Cofidis is certain to join the WorldTour, with Total Direct Energie well placed to also step up from the Pro Continental ranks.
Katusha-Alpecin have admitted they are struggling to secure funding for 2020 and have been in talks with several Pro Continental teams about a merger, but so far no deal has been confirmed. Other teams are also concerned about their budgets and long-term futures, with several Pro Continental teams set to close. Apart from the big-name team leaders, it is generally a buyers' market, with rider contract values falling because too many riders are fighting for places in the WorldTour teams.
The GC contenders
Nibali to Trek-Segafredo, Quintana to Arkéa-Samsic, Landa to Bahrain-Merida and Dumoulin to Jumbo-Visma?
Sprinters
Classics riders and baroudeurs attackers
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/cyclings-official-transfer-window-opens-august-1
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