With news arriving so fast during Transfer Season, this article is too far down our list and as a result became too hard to find without a direct link – so from today, it’ll no longer be updated. For the latest, click on the link below…

Latest Transfer News

 

Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again already – Transfer Season, and already there are more rumours buzzing around than wasps.

A few have already buzzed past Neutral Service’s ears, but without sufficient evidence to be worth including here just yet (or, in some cases, we’re keeping quiet for now – either because the relevant teams and riders have asked us to, or because publishing the info now might cause problems. There’s some really big news on the way!)

However, anything that’s confirmed or at least reasonably plausible, you’ll find here.

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3C CycleExperience

If you’ve been to any races in the Southern region this year, you may already be familiar with the name 3C CycleExperience – the team was set up earlier this year with the aim of bringing together like-minded female cyclists who wanted to race.

Sponsors CycleExperience (a bike shop based in Hythe) and Really Useful Box apparently like the exposure they’ve received, because in 2016 the team has the backing to establish itself at regional races.

Joining:

Leaving:

Staying:

Aprire-HSS

Aprire-HSS will continue in 2016, despite rumours suggesting otherwise.

Joining:

Leaving:

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Bikeshed-Bianchi

Bikeshed-Exeter University have new backing from Bianchi UK, in addition to support from Kalas Sportswear, Torq and Grupetto Coffee. More details here.

Joining: Jess Duffy (from Feather Cycles)

Leaving:

Staying: Emma Cockcroft, Lucy Gowing, Alex Sheehan, Bethan Stubbs

British Cycling Endurance Team

Joining: Emily Kay, Danni Khan, Emily Nelson, Manon Lloyd, Mel Lowther, Annasley Park, Abbie Dentus, Megan Barker.

Bonito Squadra Corse

Bonito will continue in 2016 (it hasn’t closed, as we previously reported), but on a smaller scale. More news to come

Joining:

Leaving: Evgenia Illinskaya (to Vertex-PedalPowerSport)

Staying:

Carnac-Planet X

More news from the team soon.

Joining:

Leaving: Sarah Cramoysan (to Vertex)

Staying:

Corley Cycles-Drops RT

Corley Cycles-Drops RT continue through the winter for cyclocross. Corley Cycles will also link up with the Matrix Fitness team in 2016 – see the entry for Matrix for more details.

De Ver Cycles

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Drops Cycling

Not the new incarnation of Corley Cycles-Drops, but a new team managed by Bob Varney with retired Cheshire Classic winner (and very cool person) Karla Boddy and Tom Varney serving as directeurs sportif. With several established riders and plenty of young talent, this is a team to watch in 2016.

Joining: Abi Van Twisk, Hannah Payton, Becky Womersley (all from Corley Cycles-Drops), Lucy Shaw (from Matrix), Rose Osborne (from WNT), Sophie Coleman (from PMR@Toachim House), Laura Cameron (from London Phoenix CC),  Rebecca Durrell (Rebecca Nixon, she got married in September; from Fusion RT),  Laura Massey (from Ikon-Mazda),  Jen George (from Les Filles), Ellie Dickinson (from Giordana-Triton)

Mentors: Sharon Laws, Louise Robinson

eliteVelo-Kalas

eliteVelo-Kalas have new sponsors and as of September was advertising for new riders based in the West Country. Alice Staniford has promised us more news very soon; in the meantime she’s published some photos of a team ride-out including new recruits – care to take a guess?

Joining:

Leaving:

Staying: Alice Staniford

Footon-Velosport

Velosport is to link up with Italian team Servetto-Footon in 2016, in order to offer British riders a bridge into European racing and the professional UCI teams. Sponsorship from Velosport, CychoCycle and SPIN will continue, with new support from Footon.

Joining: Verena Eberhardt (from Des Sprinters Malderen), Virginia Cancellieri, Hetty Niblett, Jayati Hine (from RST), Josephine Gilbert (from Velosure-Starley Primal)

Leaving: Hayley Simmonds (to UCI Professional team United HealthCare)

Staying: Hayley Edwards

Fusion RT-Gearclub-Bike Science

Joining: Angela Hibbs (Team WattCycle), Ashleigh Fraser (Deeside Thistle CC), Fiona Hunter-Johnston (Onit WRT)

Leaving: Rebecca Durrell (to Drops RT), Natalie Grinczer (to WNT)

Staying: Ellie Campbell, Sophie Faulkner, Jennifer Holden, Jennifer Hudson, Elizabeth Malins, Elizabeth Stedman, Gillian Taylor

GB Cycles.co.uk

Joining:

Leaving:

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Giant-Halo

Previously a club team

Joining: Jess Roberts (from RST), Lauren Murphy (Welwyn Wheelers CC)

Leaving:

Staying: Lauren Dolan, Pfeiffer Georgi

Giordana-Triton

Team closed

Abby-Mae Parkinson is going to Italian squad Servetto-Footon, Keira McVitty to WNT

Ikon-Mazda

Team closed

Jadan

Joining:

Leaving: Frankie White (to Team 22)

Staying:

Les Filles

News coming soon!

Joining:

Leaving: Jen George (to Drops RT), Kate Hewett (Kate’s not leaving – hey, Les Filles is a lifestyle as much as a team – but won’t race in 2016)

Staying: Nicole Oh, Coralie Glaunes, Delia Beddis, Clare Gillott, Helen Ralston, Helen McKay, Tracey Corbett, Vikki Filsell

M&D Cycles/Fusion RT/WORX

Joining:

Leaving: Megan Chard (to PMR@Toachim House)

Staying:

Manilla Cycling

The Manilla CC has announced it will field a nine-strong women’s team in 2016. Follow them on Facebook for the latest developments. The team posted a photograph of some t-shirts with riders’ names on them, going by that the squad appears to be…

Joining: Nicola Parker-Bell, Julia Macchi, Nikki Metcalfe, Pam Greer, Hazel Wright, Heather Wesson, Jan Bromley

Matrix Fitness

It must have been a tough decision, but Matrix Fitness has elected to end its time as a UCI team. However, being Matrix – which, of course, is owned and managed by Stef Wyman, who has done more for women’s cycling than just about anyone else – it’s been decided that the team structure can be put to good use assisting aspiring riders and giving them the support they need to move up into the higher ranks.

The team retains the backing of Matrix Fitness, a company which has become one of the biggest backers of women’s cycling over the last few years, along with Trek UK (Trek, of course, need no introduction) and Milltag (my Milltag Matrix jersey is actually the nicest item of clothing I’ve ever owned, including my Brooks Bros coat). It will also continue to support Laura Trott and Elinor Barker throughout the Olympic year. Read more here

Matrix has also announced a partnership with Corley Cycles, best known in women’s cycling through its sponsorship of the Corley-Drops team. With a large shop, and fantastic workshop facilities, Corley Cycles will provide a key link to the cycling industry itself, as well as helping team riders directly with bike maintenance throughout the season – read more here.

Joining: Isla Rush – more details here (WyndyMilla), Alice Cobb (Racing Chance Foundation), Amira Mellor (Oldfield/Paul Milne Cycles), Lora Turnham (Ikon-Mazda), Corrine Hall (Ikon-Mazda)

Leaving: Mel Lowther (to BC Olympic Programme), Lucy Shaw (to Drops Cycling), Lucy Martin (retiring), Penny Rowson (retired earlier this year), Kim Le Court (Mauritian rider Kim is joining Spanish squad Bizkaia-Durango), Christina Siggaard (the Danish rider is going to Danish team BMS-Birn)

Staying: Laura Trott, Elinor Barker, Harriet Owen

Merlin

Joining:

Leaving:

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MuleBar Girl-Sigma Sport

Joining:

Leaving:

Staying:

Onit WRT

Joining:

Leaving: Fiona Hunter-Johnston (to Fusion RT-Fierlan)

Staying:

PMR@Toachim House

PMR will have both a road team and track team in 2016.

Joining: Megan Chard (from M&D Cycles/Fusion RT/WORX), Maisy Duckworth (from Wolverhampton Wheelers), Sophie Lankford (from WNT), Gemma Sargent (from Racing Chance)

Leaving: Ellie Cadzow, Sophie Coleman (to Drops RT), Ruth Summerford, Adele Martin

Staying: Alexis Barnes, Susan Freeburn, Louise Laker (Louise is also the team manager), Emily McLoughlin, Victoria Strila

Track Team: Jennifer Allum, Suzannah Doyle, Sophie Faldo, , Claire Lee (from Shaftesbury CC), Emma Towers

Project 51

Joining:

Leaving: Flora Gillies (to Team 22)

Staying:

Radeon-Bike Science

Joining: Nicki Carr, Heidi Viles and Lucy Driver (from Somerset RC-Bicycle Chain), Miriam Whitehurst (from VC St Raphael), Fiona Redding (Bristol RC), Hannah Ricketts (Bristol South CC), Nicky Russell

Leaving:

Staying: Lucy Burgess

Ride 24/7

Joining:

Leaving:

Staying: Alex Stubbs, Diane Moore, Dorothy Liviabella

RP Racing Team

This is a team who don’t get anything like as much recognition as they deserve – with both women’s and junior squads, they’re doing loads of work for the future of cycling. Follow them!

Joining: Maddie Gammons (from Sherwood Pines SRAM RT), Sophie Black (from eliteVelo-Kalas), Connie Hudson (from Wolverhampton Wheelers), Gabriella Butler (from Palmer Park Velo RT)

Leaving:

Staying: Natasha Reddy, Emma Clarke

Shutt VR

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Leaving:

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Team WattCycle

Team closing; however, Manilla Cycling, the club that created the team, will run a new nine-strong women’s team consisting of several WattCycle members.

Team 22

Team 22, always a favourite of Neutral Service because of how much work they do for the sport, has secured new sponsorship allowing five new riders to be recruited..

Joining: Flora Gillies (Project 51), Rachel Crighton (Dundee Thistle)*, Savannah Morgan (Liverpool Century), Frankie White (Jadan), Charli Alston (Sports City Velo), Rosa Martin (PH Mas)

Leaving: Vanessa Whitfield (to Racing Chance)**

Staying: Jess Atkinson, Sarah Rose, Claire Martin, Jen Edwards, Jo Blakeley, Gina Riley

*Cat. 3 Rachel Crighton was 22nd at the Crit on the Campus earlier this year and came second behind Julie Erskine at the Kinross CC Ochils RR in September, her best result of the season following several top ten finishes.

**Vanessa Whitfield is moving to Racing Chance in order to be eligible for local time trials.

USN

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VC St Raphael

Joining:

Leaving: Miriam Whitehurt (to Radeon-Bike Science)

Staying:

VCUK-PH Mas

Joining:

Leaving: Laura Morgan (read more here)

Staying:

Velociposse

London’s only all-women track team enters its first full year. More news to come!

Joining: Uma Nu

Leaving: Emma-Jane Hornsby (to VC Londres), Mon Zamojska

Staying: Jessica May

Velosport

See Footon-Velosport

Velosure-Starley Primal

Starley has a new directeur sportif, Graham Pierce. Rumours that the team would not field a women’s squad in 2016 are completely untrue. In fact, Starley Bikes marketing director Nick Fountain explained to Neutral Service that the team’s sponsors are reporting a greater returns on their investment in the women’s team than the men’s – and so they’ll be focusing on the women next year. Keep an eye on this team, they’re going to be a real force to be reckoned with in 2016. More news on the way…!

Joining:

Leaving: Jose Gilbert (to Footon-Velosport)

Staying:

Vertex-PedalPowerSport

Another team expanding for 2016 with new sponsorship! Vertex had just one female rider – Emma Coldwell – for most of 2015 with Hannah Righini Brand joining late in the season prior to a shoulder operation, but for 2016 will be home to seven.

“We are all very excited about the new line up!” Emma told Neutral Service. 

Joining: Karen Poole, Annabella Weaver, Christine Marshall and Jenn Batey (all from Team WattCycle), Sarah Cramoysan (Carnac-Planet X), Evgenia Illinskaya (from Bonito)

Leaving:

Staying: Emma Coldwell, Hannah Righini Brand

VO2

The Norfolk-based team will close at the end of the season.

“Watch This Space”

This team is going to huge. Expect more in the first two weeks of November!

WNT

What a year it’s been for WNT – it was obvious that, with one of the strongest line-ups ever seen on the UK circuit, the squad was going to be successful, but it exceeded expectations and became one of the top teams right from the start of the season. And now, they’ve become even stronger…!

Joining: Natalie Grinczer (from Fusion RT), Keira McVitty (Giordana-Triton), Bex Rimmington, Corinne Clark

Leaving: Rose Osborne (to Drops RT), Pia de Quint (to new Belgian UCI team Lares-Waowdeals), Sophie Lankford (to PMR@Toachim House)

Staying: Jo Tindley, Hannah Walker, Becca Carter, Lydia Boylan, Sam Burman

Note: Brit Tate will continue to be associated with the team, but due to an intensive university course will not commit to a full racing programme.

Zappi’s

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UCI Teams

Podium Ambition/Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International

A rumour in early September claimed Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International were going to become a UCI professional team in 2016; Barney Storey did an admirable job of throwing us off the scent, but this turned out to be true. Best of luck to the team!

Joining: Grace Garner (Giordana-Triton), Amy Gornall, Elizabeth-Jane Harris (Army Cycling Union), Sharon Laws (Bigla), Nicole Moerig, Sara Headley (Tibco-SVB)

Leaving: Ciara Horne (to Brotherton Cycles)

Staying: Katie Archibald, Lauren Creamer, Katie Curtis, Bethany Hayward, Claire Rose (Galloway), Jo Rowsell-Shand, Gabriella Shaw, Sarah Storey

Wiggle-Honda

There were plenty of rumours last year, when several riders left, that Wiggle was in difficulty – but then they signed up some of the best riders in Europe and got even stronger.

Joining: Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS), Amy Pieters (Liv-Plantur), Lucy Garner (Liv-Plantur)

Leaving: Eileen Roe (to new Belgian UCI team Lares-Waowdeals)

Staying: Jolien D’hoore, Dani King, Giorgia Bronzini, Elisa Longo Borghini

British Riders

Lizzie Armitstead has a multi-year deal with her Boels-Dolmans team which doesn’t expire until at least the end of next year. Now that she’s World Champion, don’t expect things to change for the next few years – there probably aren’t many teams who could afford her.

Hannah Barnes is moving to the team Ronny Lauke is creating from Velocio-SRAM (which closes at the end of the year). Barnes, who won Stage 1 at the Women’s Tour in 2015 and finished fifth overall, was with US team United Healthcare for the last two seasons. Lauke’s new team will ride Canyon bikes (lucky them, eh?), but the name has not been announced.

Lucy Coldwell

Chloe Fraser, previously with Deeside Thistle and a guest for the Racing Chance Foundation, is returning to professional cycling with Basque team Lointek.

Nikki Harris, who is best-known as a cyclo cross rider but has also held National titles on road, track and MTB, is moving from Telenet-Fidea to Boels-Dolmans. The move will give her more opportunity to concentrate on road as well as ‘cross, and she will support team mate Lizzie Armitstead at the Olympic Games in Rio.

Hayley Simmonds is turning professional (no surprise there, after the year she’s had!) with United HealthCare. Simmonds, who will soon complete her PhD at Cambridge, won the National Time Trial Championships in 2015, along with a fine selection of other races and titles in addition to beating some records. Something tells us we ain’t seen nuthin’ yet…

Jessie Walker will remain at Servetto-Footon, where she’ll be joined by fellow Brit Abby-Mae Parkinson (from Giordana-Triton).

Molly Weaver will remain at Liv-Plantur.

Notes

Irish rider Ciara Doogan will ride for Rytger, which will become a Danish domestic squad rather than a UCI professional team.

The Racing Chance Foundation – a charitable incorporated organisation established with a view to helping promote women’s cycling in the UK, by offering training sessions and coaching from all levels from novice to elite riders, as well as promoting races – mentions big news on the way. Keep an eye on the RCF webpage and their Twitter and Facebook accounts for the lastest news. It’ll be good, whatever it is!