Cycling Transfer Window: Tudor Pro Cycling Signs Groves and Denz as UAE Secures Supporting Core

Kaden Groves is heading to Tudor Pro Cycling on a three-year deal, headlining a late-September transfer window that has seen major WorldTour and ProTeam rosters lock in their 2027 configurations. The 27-year-old Australian sprinter, who boasts 21 professional victories including seven stages at the Vuelta a España, will leave Alpecin-Premier Tech to anchor Tudor's Grand Tour ambitions through 2029.

Groves will not arrive in Switzerland alone. German all-rounder Nico Denz is also departing Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe to join Tudor on an identical three-year contract. The 32-year-old brings three Giro d'Italia stage wins and a reputation as one of the peloton's most reliable breakaway specialists. Tudor CEO Raphael Meyer confirmed the double signing on September 24, noting that the duo provides a "powerful combination of experience, speed, and tactical brilliance" for a squad hungry for top-tier results.

The Swiss outfit is aggressively building a roster capable of dictating terms on the WorldTour. Groves and Denz join a Tudor sprint block that recently added 24-year-old Arnaud De Lie, who signed a four-year deal in August after leaving Lotto Intermarché. For Groves, the move represents a chance to reset after a 2026 season disrupted by a spring knee injury and early exits at both the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta. "Returning to the Tour de France to fight for stage wins and the green jersey is at the top of my list," Groves stated.

While Tudor is aggressively acquiring new firepower, UAE Team Emirates-XRG has spent the week building a fortress around its existing core. On September 24, the Emirati squad announced a wave of contract extensions for six crucial support riders, ensuring the infrastructure that powered Tadej Pogačar's historic run remains intact. Vegard Stake Laengen, a foundational road captain since the team's 2017 inception, extended his stay through 2027.[1]

The UAE renewals stretch deep into the decade. Austrian time-trial champion Felix Großschartner and Danish powerhouse Julius Johansen both signed through 2028. Meanwhile, Slovenian climber Domen Novak and Portuguese twins Ivo and Rui Oliveira committed to the squad until the end of 2029. This block of extensions arrives just weeks after Pogačar himself signed a landmark deal keeping him in UAE colours through 2032, effectively cementing the team's Grand Tour engine room for the foreseeable future.[1]

The market's ripple effects are also being felt in the Classics division, where Visma-Lease a Bike is reportedly on the verge of losing a major target. Multiple outlets, including Gazzetta dello Sport and CyclingPro, report that 31-year-old Italian specialist Davide Ballerini is finalizing a two-year deal with Pinarello-Q36.5. The 2021 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner and recent Giro d'Italia stage victor is out of contract with XDS Astana at the end of the year.[2][3][4]

If finalized, Ballerini's move to the Swiss-registered Pinarello squad would deal a significant blow to Richard Plugge's Visma outfit, which has endured a remarkably quiet transfer window. Visma's only confirmed 2027 addition thus far is the internal promotion of development rider Matisse Van Kerckhove, leaving a glaring gap in their cobbled Classics lineup. Pinarello, conversely, continues a massive recruitment drive, with Ballerini expected to join incoming talents Mauro Schmid and Andrew August.[2][3][4]

With the UCI's official registration periods pushing toward the end of the year, the remaining unattached riders are running out of premium landing spots. Tudor's sprint assembly and UAE's defensive lockdown have effectively removed a dozen high-value contracts from the board. For the teams still holding budget, the pressure to secure the final difference-makers before the 2027 season begins is escalating by the day.