2025 Global Transfer round-up
Running through the major transfers of riders from lesser-represented nations this off-season
It’s almost 2025, which means that nearly all the action in the transfer window is over and teams are getting ready to begin a new season.
It’s been a window with some big moves; Vollering to FDJ-Suez, Pidcock to Q36.5 and a host of others. There has also been lots of movement among riders from cycling’s lesser-represented nations.
Here a round-up of the biggest global transfer moves as we head into 2025.
Perhaps the highest-level move for a an African rider this transfer season is Natnael Tesfatsion’s transfer from Lidl-Trek to Movistar. The Eritrean joins Spain’s only WorldTour team on a two-year deal after impressing in 2024 with a second place at the Cadel Evans Road Race and seventh at Gran Piemonte in October.
Tesfatsion maybe hasn’t progressed to the heights expected of him so far in his career. The 25-year-old is highly talented, but didn’t get many opportunities at Lidl-Trek. With riders such as Alex Aranburu and Oier Lakano leaving Movistar this winter, Tesfatsion may get more opportunities in 2025.
40-year-old Japanese stalwart Yukiya Arashiro has recently announced that he will extend his professional career another year, entering his seventeenth season with Italian ProTeam Toscana Factory Team Vini Fantini - previously Corratec.
Read more: Spotlight on Japan - Is this cycling's sleeping giant?
After being at the centre of one of the stories of the summer, Uzbek Yanina Kuskova signed a two year deal with Spanish ProTeam Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi.
Riding for the controversial Tashkent City Cycling Team in 2024, Kuskova put in a determined ride to finish the Tour de France Femmes, having been the team’s only rider left in the race after stage three.
“My goal here is to develop and learn to win. I know that I can give a lot and I am ready to work hard to achieve my goals together with the Laboral team. I'm really looking forward to 2025 and wearing the purple jersey,” Kuskova said in a team press release.
It has been a big year of movement for Central Asian riders, with the majority of the flux brought about by Chinese investment in the previously Kazakhstan-registered XDS-Astana. Eight Kazakhs have left the team fighting for WorldTour survival in 2025, including the team’s talisman, Alexey Lutsenko, who heads to Israel-Premier Tech. A couple of others have retired, while Igor Chzan and Yevgeniy Gidich have made the move to China Glory-Mentech for 2025.
Meanwhile, 2024 was a season beyond Fariba Hashimi’s dreams. She wowed viewers of the Olympic Road Race in Paris before a brilliant 8th place at the Tour de l’Avenir Femmes. In 2025, the rider who fled Afghanistan with her sister in 2021 joins the WorldTour with Ceratizit-WNT on a two-year deal.
“Fariba’s inspiring journey and talent exemplifies resilience and determination, aligning perfectly with the team’s values and commitment to developing the talents of young riders on the international stage,” Ceratizit-WNT said on X.
Twelve months ago, Merhawi Kudus’ career looked over. Deemed surplus to requirements at EF Education-EasyPost, the experienced Eritrean took a move to Asia with the Malaysian Terengganu team. After a year on the Asia Tour, he’s back among the pros after securing a two-year contract with Burgos BH.
Read more: 'I never gave up' - Merhawi Kudus on bouncing back to the pro ranks after a year in Asia
One of the more intriguing transfers of the season is XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly making the move onto the tarmac with Jayco-AlUla. The South African joins the Australian team for two years after a 2023 stint with the EF-Nippo development team.
There have been plenty of promotions for riders from Central and South America this winter. Much is expected of Orluis Aular’s move to Movistar. The Venezuelan won five UCI races in 2024, including the Trofeo Matteotti in September.
Another Venezuelan replaces Aular as Caja Rural’s primary quick-man. Francisco Peñuela is a name to remember over the next couple of years. He moves from Portuguese Continental squad Radio Popular - Paredes - Boavista after winning a stage of the Volta Portugal this year. Peñuela could have been made from a mould of Aular - a quick, punchy, powerful sprinter.
Brazilian Ana Vitoria Magalhães makes the move up to the women’s WorldTour with Movistar after a season with BePink-Bongioanni. She was 16th at the Trofeo Ponente in Rosa earlier this year and third on the final stage. A gifted climber, Magalhães also finished her first Giro d’Italia Women this year.
Read more: Team Amani to launch men's Continental road team in 2025
Finally, making a deserved returned to the pro ranks is Abner Gonzalez. The Puerto Rican climber follows a similar path to Peñuela this year as he joins Caja Rural-Seguros RGA from Portuguese Continental team Efapel. Gonzalez had previously ridden for Movistar for three seasons before being omitted from their squad for 2024.
It may be deep into December, but many riders are still looking for a job for next year. Ethiopian Negasi Abreha is in talks with an Italian Continental team, while his countryman Mulu Hailemichael appears to have been in contact with several teams but has yet to sign a deal.
On his Substack, Daniel Benson suggested that Q36.5 may be in talks with South African Stefan De Bod. However, they are also trying to secure a deal for Elia Viviani which may bring about a place in the Giro d’Italia for next season.
Who are you looking forward to seeing in their new colours next season?
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Spotlight on Japan - Is this cycling's sleeping giant?
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