Most riders have now finished their holiday period and are already building up towards the 2026 season. On social media, they are sharing footage of their training sessions. Among those who have transferred teams, it is noticeable that they are still training in their 'old' team kit. Why is that the case?
This is due to contractual obligations. Riders usually sign a contract that ends on December 31. Until that day, they officially still represent their old team, even though they no longer race for that team and have already signed with their new squad. This means that in terms of clothing, equipment, and other sponsor-related matters, they formally belong to the old team until the end of the year.
Only from January 1 of the new year are riders allowed to appear publicly in their new gear. However, it is often (tacitly) permitted that they train with their new equipment in the weeks leading up to that date, so they can get used to the bike, saddle, and other components.
There is no specific UCI rule that prohibits riders from training in their new team's clothing beforehand. In official UCI events, however, transferring riders must wear their 'old' kit until December 31, as they are only registered with their new team from January 1 onward.
