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Not all transfers and signings are made equal.
Tom Pidcock and Ineos Grenadiers are not alone with the apparent inside-the-bus discord.
The British superstar and the UK super team are at loggerheads, and his future with the team remains uncertain.
But backroom drama is nothing new in cycling, and in fact, these days, with the stakes even higher due to increasing salaries, the risk of relegation and intense pressure to perform, it’s a surprise there are not more high-profile transfers melting down.
Pidcock’s arrival at Ineos was once seen as a perfect union, with a generational star joining one of the most successful teams in cycling.
Yet things hit a breaking point earlier this month when the team sidelined him abruptly before the start of Il Lombardia, with Pidcock evidently mandating his own destiny, and the team unhappy with his results and sense of teamwork.
For every season that delivers transfers that see a rider elevate their game and rise to a new level — think Matteo Jorgenson to Visma-Lease a Bike or Primož Roglič delivering the Vuelta a España for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe — there are always those that don’t pan out.
Here are three riders hoping to turn the page in 2025:
Rémi Cavagna leaves Movistar despite having a contract
Top French rider Rémi Cavagna is leaving Team Movistar after just one season despite having a contract with the Spanish WorldTour team.
The French time trial specialist joined the Spanish team with hopes of stepping up his game, but it didn’t take long for things to unravel.
Spanish media reported that Cavagna had a hard time fitting in with the Spanish-heavy team, and was equally frustrated that he was not selected to race a grand tour in 2024. AS reported that he’s heading to French squad Groupama-FDJ next season.
“Things just didn’t work well,” Cavagna told MARCA. “It’s important to race a grand tour for a rider like myself, and I didn’t do one this year.”
Rémi Cavagna explica su adiós de Movistar cuando aún tenía contrato: “Ha sido muy difícil” El galo, que se despide de los navarros corriendo en China, espera que todo cambie en su nuevo destino de cara a 2025. https://t.co/ZpaT4mbeF8 pic.twitter.com/vsm7vlTQZl
— ⚡MazaCiclismo⚡ (@RuedaPedal) October 20, 2024
The two-time French national time trial champion had high hopes for the season, but did not manage to win a race.
After years of consistent performances at Soudal Quick-Step, Cavagna struggled to find his rhythm, and the lack of major races only added to his discontent.
“When the head’s not in a good place, neither are the legs,” he said. “But there’s no problem with the team. I spoke with Eusebio (Unzué) because I know if I do one more season like this it won’t be good for me. That’s why I prefer to change teams.”
Gianni Moscon adds depth to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
Gianni Moscon, once seen as a troubled but immensely talented rider, found a lifeline with Soudal Quick-Step in 2024, only to move again after a mixed season.
Though he didn’t do much in the spring classics, he is now leaving to join Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.
Moscon did solid work for Remco Evenepoel across the flats during the Tour de France.
Lefevere told the Belgian media he wanted to keep Moscon, but the Italian is on the move to budding super team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe that’s seen several transfers.
The Germany-based is undergoing what it’s calling a “generational change,” with six of the current eight new riders under the age of 25.
Gianni Moscon will ride for us from the upcoming season. The 30-year-old will primarily support the team’s classics squad, which has recently been bolstered by several young talents. He is approaching his 10th WorldTour season.
Sprintcycling#redbullborahansgrohe #newseason pic.twitter.com/x6f5NjjCvD
— Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe (@RBH_ProCycling) October 18, 2024
With that in mind, Red Bull brass wanted a few steady hands for the classics and grand tours, and the 30-year-old Moscon fit the bill.
“When I think of Gianni’s potential, I think of Roubaix 2021: an impressive solo that was only stopped by a puncture,” said Ralph Denk, CEO at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. “We hope to bring him back to that level in a new environment and with our expanded performance structure. But with his experience, we are also looking beyond the classics.
“At the Tour de France this summer, we saw how well he fulfilled his role as road captain.”
Is Evenepoel’s loss Roglič’s gain? Time will tell.
Cofidis boss not happy with Alex Zingle’s exit
Alex Zingle and his high-profile move to Visma-Lease a Bike isn’t sitting well with Cofidis boss Cedric Vasseur.
The former pro told CyclismActu that he wanted to keep the rising French talent, but sensed that he had already secured a deal to join the “Killer Bees” early in 2024.
“We wanted to discuss with him very early in the season in January, and it was he who delayed the discussions. He had perhaps already signed for his new team,” Vasseur said in an interview. “In any case, we felt on our side that Axel Zingle was losing momentum at the start of the year, he seemed lost.
“We even had to modify his program and remove him from northern classics. Because he was the one who was supposed to raise the colors of Cofidis high on these classics, and he did not deliver.”
Vasseur also loses Guillaume Martin to Groupama-FDJ in this season’s transfers, and now will have a fight on his hands to retain a spot in the WorldTour.
No hay nada como anunciar con humor un fichaje.
Así hace oficial Visma la llegada de Axel Zingle. pic.twitter.com/rN3xO37laf
— Alberto Marcos Gallego (@albermg) August 1, 2024
Vasseur questioned why Zingle would want to give up a clear leadership role at Cofidis to take on a lesser spot inside the classics machine at Visma-Lease a Bike that already includes Wout van Aert and Matteo Jorgenson.
“At Cofidis, he was guaranteed to be a leader. I’m not sure this will be the case at Visma,” Vasseur said. “But there you go, it’s a career choice. I’ve done it personally, too. I went to a team where there was a real leader like Lance Armstrong, I had to work for him and completely ignore my personal ambitions, that’s part of the journey.
“Now, perhaps in a year or two, Axel will say that he made the right choice, or on the contrary that he should have remained leader rather than going after water bottles or riding for Wout van Aert.”
