Grading the latest WorldTour transfers

Analysing a new batch of moves for Žigart, Cepeda, Champoussin, Moscon, McLay and Reusser

Hi subscribers,

I just wanted to let you know that I’m going to my first race for the Substack, with the start of the London 3 Day on Friday!

I haven’t been to a track event since Bradley Wiggins’ Hour Record attempt so I’m really excited to be heading to the Lee Valley VeloPark.

Honestly, I’m not sure what I’ll pick up from the event but I’m aiming to provide some light race coverage and one or two interviews. Overall, I’m just excited to be going to a race for the first time since the Giro d’Italia. And it’s the first race where I’ve accredited myself to the Substack, which feels like a small but emotionally important milestone.

It’s been four months - almost to the day - since we launched the Substack and we’re now at 3,036 subscribers!

That blows my mind, and I’m eternally grateful for all the support. That’s why I want to start attending events. I want to provide the best coverage I can and I’m starting to think more and more about what the Substack could look like in 2025.

I never want to overpromise and underdeliver - self-promotion isn’t my strong point - but once I have a plan I’ll be sure to share all the details with you. At the very least I’ll be at the London 3 Day and then Rouleur Live next month.

For now, here’s the latest batch of transfer grades from the men’s and women’s WorldTour, and once again, thanks for your amazing support. 💗

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Urška Žigart 🇸🇮

Liv AlUla Jayco to AG Insurance - Soudal

During the summer I had the impression that while Liv wanted to keep the Slovenian rider a deal had already been struck with AG Insurance-Soudal for next season.

That seemed to play out as the months unfolded and after four years on the Australian team, Žigart transferred to the Belgium squad. A more than capable WorldTour rider, who was overlooked for the Olympics, Žigart is a solid all-rounder. The 27-year-old isn’t an elite climber or TT specialist (excluding national champs) but she brings valuable depth and experience. Capable of cracking the top ten in a Grand Tour over the next few years, Žigart is a complimentary signing that will make AG stronger with her presence. 

Transfer grading: B

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Jefferson Alveiro Cepeda 🇪🇨

Caja Rural to Movistar

I genuinely have a soft spot for Movistar delving into the second tier of teams to sign riders they believe can be finessed into WorldTour stars. They’ve done it again with Cepeda, who at 28 was close to falling into the journeyman category after spending a large chunk of his career at Caja Rural.

He’s enjoyed a strong season, winning the Tour of Qinghai Lake - which isn’t an easy feat - and taking a tough stage in the Tour du Limousin that included over 3,600m of climbing. He screams versatility and for teams that can’t compete with the top squads in terms of budgets, he could be a very smart signing. He was fourth in O Gran Camiño this year and the first non-WorldTour rider inside the top ten. 

Transfer grading: B-

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Clément Champoussin 🇫🇷

Arkéa - B&B Hotels to Astana Qazaqstan Team

I understand the desperation for WorldTour points but Astana’s scattergun approach to the transfer market creates more questions than it answers. Ulissi, Conci, Bettiol and now Champoussin all have overlapping qualities, while Astana’s main investment over the last two years has been centred around their leadout train.

They’ve lost their best sprinter and his final lead-out rider but totally abandoned the rest of the train and didn’t sign a replacement sprinter. They could have picked up Caleb Ewan on a relatively cheap one-year deal, which may not have given them an edge in the Grand Tours but would have allowed them to hoover up points in smaller races. Who exactly is Mike Teunissen leading out next year?

As for Champoussin, he’s a quality rider who will be there in many of the 1.1 level races and then occasionally land a big win. At 26 there’s loads of room to develop but I question whether that will happen at Astana. I understand Poels and Ulissi moving to the team - it’s probably one final payday before retirement but for riders in their prime, choosing to move to a team that could be relegated in twelve months, and who have clear issues with completing their UCI paperwork, seems like an unnecessary career gamble. 

Transfer grading: C

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Gianni Moscon 🇮🇹

Soudal Quick-Step to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe

Red Bull had already loaded up for the Spring Classics with Lazkano, Pithie, Tratnik and the van Dijke. The arrival of Moscon moves them to another level, providing deeper cover for the cobbles and further ammunition for the Grand Tours. The Italian rebuilt his career at Soudal QuickStep after the Belgian team effectively rescued him from a likely retirement, and if we’re basing selection on talent alone, then the 30-year-old could race the Tour as part of Roglič’s challenge.

The word on the grapevine was that Soudal were keen to extend Moscon’s deal but he was waiting on Remco Evenepoel to make the switch to Red Bull. During that period Soudal interpreted Moscon’s stalling as a chance to look at other targets, and his talks with the Belgian team ended at that point. He’s a decent pick-up for the German squad if he can remain motivated and avoid controversy. 

Transfer grading: C+

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Daniel McLay 🇬🇧

Arkéa - B&B Hotels to Visma-Lease a Bike

This might not feel like a glamorous move to some but it’s a pretty savvy transfer. Visma needed a lead-out rider for Olav Kooij once the Mike Teunissen deal fell through, and with Arkéa unable to offer the British rider a new deal, Visma could swoop in. There are bargains to be had this late in the season.

At 32, McLay isn’t going to reinvent himself as an all-star, like Laporte did upon his arrival, but you know what you get with the British talent. He’s an experienced lead-out rider, and sprinter, and if he can forge a strong relationship with Kooij in the winter the pair could become a reliable force throughout 2025.

I have a slight question mark over McLay’s pedigree in Grand Tours, with two DNFs out of five, but Visma aren’t paying for a three-week rider. For McLay on a personal level, he should relish racing for a rider of Kooij’s quality - who is frankly an upgrade on an ageing Arnaud Demare. And 32 isn’t old for a lead-out rider. That’s roughly the same age at which point Michael Mørkøv moved to Quick-Step.

Transfer grading: B+

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Marlen Reusser 🇨🇭

Team SD Worx - Protime to Movistar Team

The Spanish team have been huge admirers of Reusser for years and finally got their rider for 2025 after she signed a three-year deal. In theory, this is a great move for both parties. Reusser gets a chance to ride for herself more consistently, while Movistar picks up a rider with incredible power and experience, who can help guide some of the younger talents on the squad.

We’re talking about one of the best riders in the world when she’s in form and healthy. The only question mark is over her health.

Having spent the last few months out of competition owing to the effects of post-COVID syndrome, we’ve not seen Reusser race since May. We’re looking at a nine-month window without racing assuming she returns in February. That’s certainly not an inexplicable amount of time but it’s a best-case scenario at this point. With a complete off-season to aid her recovery and rebuild, the hope and plan is that Reusser can reach her previous level next spring. If she does, this could turn out to be one of the best transfers of the year. For now, it’s a solid B but this could easily be upgraded to an A next year.

On a side note, the women’s transfer scene has been incredible over the last few months. We need to do a full-scale feature on that very soon.

Transfer grading: B

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