Biniam Girmay and Others in Cycling Limbo Without Contracts for 2026
If cycling paradise means winning the Tour de France and its opposite is climbing the Alpe d’Huez in cold heavy rain, then cycling limbo is what riders experience when a season ends without clarity about their future.
Dozens of professional cyclists now face that uncertainty just as training camps open on November 1. The situation has been intensified by the collapse of the French team Arkéa–B&B Hotels and the merger between the Belgian outfits Lotto and Intermarché–Wanty.
Riders Without Confirmed 2026 Contracts
- Derek Gee
- Matej Mohorič
- Torstein Traeen
- Rainer Kepplinger
- Jack Haig
- Andrea Pasqualon
- Michel Matthews
- Michal Kwiatkowski
- Ben Swift
- Florian Sénéchal
- Iván Sosa
- Victor Lafay
- Sam Welsford
- Luke Lamperti
- Lukas Nerurkar
- Archie Ryan
- Rui Costa
- Jensen Plowright
- Henri Uhlig
- Stefano Oldani
- Matthew Walls
- Pascal Ackerman
Teams and Contract Complications
Many of these riders are expected to remain with their current teams or soon finalize deals elsewhere. However, veterans like Michal Kwiatkowski, 35, and Ben Swift, 37, both with INEOS Grenadiers, may have to consider retirement if no offers emerge.
Derek Gee faces a far more complex challenge. He has been trying for months to exit his contract with Israel–Premier Tech, which is now suing him for €30 million in damages, claiming breach of contract.
The Bahrain-Victorious Puzzle
The team Bahrain-Victorious has yet to re-sign key names such as Matej Mohorič, Torstein Traeen, Rainer Kepplinger, Jack Haig, and Andrea Pasqualon, leaving their 2026 lineup uncertain despite Traeen’s standout performance at the Vuelta.
“This is the situation in which literally dozens of riders find themselves, with training camps set to open on November 1.”
Author’s Summary
As the cycling season closes, multiple riders face contract limbo and legal disputes, highlighting the sport’s uncertain team structures before 2026.