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When is the transfer window in cycling?
The transfer window is the period in which professional teams can officially announce riders who will join them for the next season. In road cycling it traditionally opens on 1 August.
Unlike football, cycling has no transfer fee system as standard. Most riders move when their contract ends, and the new contract starts on 1 January. Talks, however, start much earlier: the strongest riders are often agreed with new teams by early summer, and the official window simply allows the move to be announced.
This creates a familiar pattern. In July, during the Tour de France, rumours build up. From 1 August, teams publish a run of signings and contract extensions. By the autumn most WorldTour rosters for the following year are settled.
Mid-contract moves do happen, but they need agreement between the teams and the rider, and sometimes a payment to buy the rider out of the contract.
Our transfers page tracks confirmed moves for the coming season, with the previous team, the new team and our estimated salary where we have one. Each transfer is listed only once it has been officially announced or reliably reported.