It's November and most teams are now settled in the transfer market, but many riders are still in the dark. According to the well-known cycling agent Dries Smets, this concerns about 60 to 70 riders. "While there are only a maximum of eight to ten vacancies left," he explains in an interview with Sporza.
"It's early November, the holiday season is basically over, and riders are starting their preparation for the new season. But several riders are still living with uncertainty and hope to get clarity soon. The uncertainty gnaws at them. They wait impatiently for a solution."
The merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty leaves quite a few riders without a contract, but there's more to it. "It's not just the merged team; a team like Arkéa-B&B Hotels is also folding. Of the 18 WorldTour teams, two are therefore disappearing. That means 60 fewer spots available on the market, which significantly raises the pressure."
"Currently, around 60 to 70 riders are still looking for a spot, while there are only eight to ten vacancies left. So, dozens of riders will be left out." Can we then speak of a cycling graveyard? "That sounds dramatic, because this situation happens every year. But indeed, there are more riders affected than usual."
Cycling at two speeds
But does Smets have an explanation? "There is a discrepancy between the teams: the gap between the top teams with large budgets and the second-tier squads is very wide. The latter category wants to stay competitive sportingly but does not always find the right sponsor. So, is this a case of cycling at two speeds? It seems like that at the moment."
"I don't want to dramatize either, because even a rider from a smaller team still has a chance to win. It's not always a story of David versus Goliath, but competing becomes tougher for teams in that second segment."
