Welcome back to our look at all the transfers made by the UCI WorldTour teams over the last winter. We covered AG2R to Lampre-Merida here, so now let's do the second half of the teams, starting with Lotto Soudal.
In:
Tomasz Marczynski (Torku Şekerspor), Rafael Valls (Lampre-Merida), Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen)
Out:
Vegard Breen (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Kenny Dehaes (Wanty-Gobert), Jurgen van den Broeck (Katusha), Boris Vallée (Fortuneo Vital Concept), Dennis Vanendert
Kev - Jurgen van den Broeck will be missed, Rafael Valls will be a good addition, particularly in the early season races if he can bed in in time.
Andy - van den Broeck is a loss, other than that, not much catches my eye.
In:
Nelson Oliveira (Lampre-Merida), Carlos Betancur (AG2R-La Mondiale), Dani Moreno (Katusha)
Out:
Eros Capecchi (Astana), John Gadret (crossteambyg4), Benat Intxausti (Sky), Pablo Lastras (retirement), Enrique Sanz (Southeast)
Kev - If you were wondering how Movistar could get better, Carlos Betancur might just be the answer, adding even more depth to their already immensely strong team.
Andy - While Dani Moreno adds strength to an already impressive squad, it depends on which Betancur turns up at Movistar; if it's the one that demonstrated great potential, helped on by Movistar's Colombian contingent, then it could be an inspired signing. If it's the one who can't catch a flight on time, they may as well not have bothered.
In:
Christopher Juul-Jensen (Tinkoff), Luka Mezgec (Giant-Alpecin), Ruben Plaza (Lampre-Merida), Amets Txurruka (Caja Rural)
Out:
Adam Blythe (Tinkoff), Simon Clarke (Cannondale), Leigh Howard (IAM Cycling), Brett Lancaster (retirement), Cameron Meyer (Dimension Data), Jens Mouris (Drapac), Ivan Santaromita (SkyDive Dubai), Pieter Weening (Rompoot)
Kev - Plaza might still have a good couple of years left in him, but otherwise it should be more of the same from Orica-GreenEDGE next year.
Andy - Plaza's arrival could be an important one in terms of Orica's development of the Yates twins. His experience will be a useful tool in bringing the British prospects on another level.
In:
Michal Golas (Etixx-Quick Step), Benat Intxausti (Movistar), Michael Kwiatkowski (Etixx-Quick-Step), Mikel Landa (Astana), Danny van Poppel (Trek-Segafredo)
Out:
Nathan Earle (Drapac), Bernhard Eisel (Dimension Data), Danny Pate (Optum), Richie Porte (BMC), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Dimension Data), Chris Sutton
Kev - Sky clearly want to branch out from being Tour de France specialists. Kwiatkowski is more than capable of winning a Classic, Landa can attack one or both of the Giro and Vuelta as a GC contender, and should be a step up from Richie Porte.
Andy - Sky are demonstrating that their goal isn't just to provide British winners of the Tour de France, but to dominate cycling in every department. The additions of Landa, Intxausti and, particularly, Kwiatkowski will go some way to doing just that.
In:
Sindre Skjøstad Lunke (Joker), Laurens ten Dam (LottoNL-Jumbo), Max Walscheid (Kuota-Lotto)
Out:
Lawson Craddock (Cannondale), Marcel Kittel (Etixx-Quick-Step), Thierry Hupond (Delko Marseille Provence), Luka Mezgec (Orica-GreenEDGE), Daan Olivier (retirement)
Kev - Letting Kittel go is a huge gamble, and it will hurt when (if?) he beats Degenkolb in sprints this year. But the team's belief in Degenkolb to fill the void will do his confidence wonders.
Andy - Kittel's departure is the big one here. No two way's about that. Could prove to be a massive loss, but with Demoulin and the addition of Laurens ten Dam, Giant Alpecin seem to be gearing themselves towards GC placings rather than sprint wins.
In:
Koen Bouwman (SEG Racing), Victor Campenaerts (Topsport Vlaanderen), Twan Castelijns (Baby Dump), Dylan Groenewegen (Roompot-Oranje Peloton), Primož Roglič (Adria Mobil), Dennis van Winden (Synergy Baku)
Out:
Brian Bulgac (De Volharding), Rick Flens, Barry Markus (Roompot), Laurens ten Dam (Giant-Alpecin), Nick van der Lijke (Roompot-Oranje Peloton)
Kev - Laurens ten Dam is a big loss for the Dutch outfit, and it's hard to see where the direct replacement is coming from. Could be a tough year.
Andy - The departure of ten Dam is a blow and, like Kev, I'm finding it hard to spot an incoming alternative.
In:
Adam Blythe (Orica-GreenEDGE), Yuri Trofimov (Katusha)
Out:
Edward Beltrán (EPM Une-Area Metropolitana), Matti Breschel (Cannondale), Christopher Juul-Jensen (Orica-GreenEDGE), Michael Mørkøv (Katusha), Bruno Pires (Roth-Skoda), Chris Anker Sorenson (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Oliver Zaugg (IAM Cycling)
Kev - I'd say the key departure was Saxo's money, but Oleg Tinkov says they weren't paying anyway. Maybe Oleg's enthusiasm for the sport and ability to not argue with his riders will be the big comings and goings.
Andy - Not much in the way of change for Tinkoff, this year. With Sagan and Majka already on board, the team already seem well equipped for the next few years. Adam Blythe adds fresh legs and depth, but it'll be more of the same, as Tinkoff will want to give Contador a good send-off.
In:
Jack Bobridge (Budget Forklifts), Niccolò Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida), Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale), Kiel Reijnen (UnitedHealthCare), Peter Stetina (BMC), Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen)
Out:
Matthew Busche (UnitedHealthCare), Bob Jungels (Etixx-Quick Step), Hayden Roulston (retirement), Jesse Sergent (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Fabio Silvestre (Leopard Development Team), Danny van Poppel (Team Sky), Calvin Watson (An Post Chain Reaction)
Kev - You sense that Jungels, Sergent and van Poppel will be bigger losses than those brought in. Hesjedal, for all his quality, is a short-term fix at best.
Andy - Hesjedal is a decent name but papers over the cracks, slightly. The decision not to offer van Poppel's contract remains a baffling one in the absence of any real replacement.
That's it. Anyone you think we've overlooked, or disagree with what we've had to say? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter. Otherwise, let's look forward to the start of the season!
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