Before 1 August, the rule of silence applies to transfers - at least to the outside world. Because before
no contract may be signed with a new employer or a transfer announced before this date. However, this does not mean that teams are inactive until then: Professionals with expiring contracts are known, teams are talking and negotiating with the riders, some even agree commitments that a valid contract will be signed on 1 August - it's just that nothing may be officially concluded yet. This leads to the wildest speculation: who has been spotted with whom, which team is looking for which type of rider? Many transfers are well known, but have not yet been finalised. Nacer Bouhanni's departure from FDJ to Cofidis was hinted at, but could only be confirmed on 1 August. However, contract extensions for professionals with their current team are excluded from the rule and are possible at any time during the season.
A special feature this year is the change of Australian Rohan Dennis. The 24-year-old completed his team switch in the middle of the season and is now riding for the BMC Racing Team. His previous team, Garmin-Sharp, gave the necessary approval for the agreement. Changes within a season are possible between 1 and 15 August and have been permitted by the UCI since 2011.
Transfers are possible until 31 December, an overview of the most important confirmations:
- Robert Kiserlovski The rider who finished 10th in this year's Giro d'Italia will leave Team Trek at the end of the season and sign a two-year contract with Team Tinkoff-Saxo.
- David de la Cruz The Spaniard is leaving the German team Netapp-Endura to join the Omega Pharma Quick Step team for two years, which will race under the name Etixx-Quick Step next season.
- Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg The South African also joins MTN-Qhubeka for the 2015 and 2016 seasons. It is a return for van Rensburg after he rode for the team three years ago.
- Edvald Boasson Hagen The Norwegian has signed a contract for the next two years with the South African team MTN-Qhubeka. Hagen is thus leaving Team Sky after five years.
- Maxime Bouet The Frenchman leaves AG2R at the end of the season and signs with Omega Pharma Quick-Step for the next two years.
- The current WorldTour teams Garmin Sharp and Cannondale will merge into one team from the coming season. Cannondale will become the team's title sponsor and supplier, while Garmin will remain as a sponsor. Eight riders have contracts with Cannondale for 2015 and are expected to receive contract offers for the new team. From Garmin, 14 riders will start the next season with valid contracts. According to team boss Jonathan Vaughters, these contracts will all remain in place for the new team. The German pros are without a contract for 2015 Fabian Wegmann (currently Garmin) and Michael Koch (currently Cannondale).
- Pure Taaramae The Estonian will join Team Astana next year. Taaramae, who has ridden for Cofidis since the start of his career in 2008, has signed a one-year contract.
- Ivan Basso The Italian returns to his former team boss Bjarne Riis and signs a two-year contract with Tinkoff-Saxo.
- Peter Sagan There has been much speculation about the Slovakian's future, but now it's official: Sagan will ride for Tinkoff-Saxo from 2015 and has signed a three-year contract. Tinkoff-Saxo has also announced the signing of Pavel Brutt announced. The Russian is moving from Katyusha.
- Bauke Molleme The Dutchman leaves Team Rabobank (most recently Belkin) after seven years and signs a two-year contract with the Trek Factoring Team.
- Alessandro De Marchi The Italian switches to the new team together with his compatriot Damiano Caruso from Cannondale to BMC. De Marchi was honoured as the most combative rider of the Tour this year.
- Lars Boom The winner of the cobbled stage of this year's Tour switches from Belkin to Astana and signs a contract until the end of 2016.
- Luis León Sanchez The Spaniard also joins Astana. The four-time Tour stage winner is riding for the Spanish ProContinental team Caja Rujal this year. Despite a current contract, Sanchez was forced to leave Belkin at the end of last season due to allegations of contacts with the controversial doctors Dr Michele Ferrari and Dr Eufemiano Fuentes.
- The Kazakh team also signed up Diego Rosa from the ProContinental team Androni Giocattoli and Davide Malacarne from Europcar for the new season.
- Nacer Bouhanni The 24-year-old is leaving FDJ to ride for Cofidis next season. The Frenchman brings his sprint rider to FDJ, Geoffrey Soupe, with Cofidis.
