Cycling transfers 2027: The German professionals will be riding for these teams

​For a long time, there was a simple rule in German cycling: if you’re good, you go abroad. Things look a little different for 2027. With Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe and Lidl-Trek, there are now two teams with German licences competing at the very top. And it is precisely these two teams that are at the centre of a large proportion of German cycling transfers.

Red Bull: Lipowitz is joined by an old acquaintance

Let’s start with the biggest name. Florian Lipowitz is staying put. Back in December, the 2025 Tour third-place finisher signed a long-term contract extension with Red Bull, thereby putting an end to rumours of interest from Lidl-Trek. Joining him from 2027 will be Georg Steinhauser. The Allgäu native joins from EF Education-EasyPost and has signed a multi-year contract. The pair know each other well; they rode together for two years before either of them turned professional. Steinhauser won the Giro stage at Passo Brocon in 2024, claimed the white jersey this year as third overall at Paris–Nice, and is set to support Lipowitz and Remco Evenepoel in the mountains for Red Bull in future.

Cycling Transfers: Zimmermann makes the leap

Lidl-Trek forms the second German contingent. Since Lidl acquired a majority stake in October 2025, the team has been racing under a German licence and investing heavily. One rider set to benefit is Georg Zimmermann. The Augsburg native is moving to Lidl-Trek after six years with Lotto-Intermarché and has signed a contract until the end of 2029. It’s the perfect time: this year, he achieved the greatest success of his career with Eschborn-Frankfurt, and in 2025 he was already German champion. At Lidl-Trek, he will be joining forces with Lennard Kämna.

Another rider, however, is leaving the team: Tim Torn Teutenberg, a scion of the well-known cycling family and winner of the U23 Paris–Roubaix, is moving to Soudal Quick-Step after two years. There, he hopes to develop his skills further in the classics and in the sprint.

Those who stay have good reasons

Not every top German rider is looking to move on. Nils Politt signed a contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG back in June, tying him to the team until the end of 2029. The Hürth-born rider has long been one of Tadej Pogačar’s key support riders and the road captain of the world’s best team. Pascal Ackermann is also staying put: the sprinter is currently in his second season with Jayco AlUla under a two-year contract covering the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

​In the sprint too, everything remains the same – and that’s certainly good news. Max Kanter has had his best year yet: in March, the Cottbus native won his first WorldTour stage at Paris–Nice; on his Tour de France debut in July, he finished second in Pau and fourth in Bordeaux and on the Champs-Élysées. As a result, he is now regarded as Germany’s best sprinter. In 2027, he will continue to ride for XDS Astana, having already extended his contract for 2026 and 2027. He will therefore retain the sprint train that has made him so strong this year.

​His rival for this title, Pascal Ackermann, is also staying put. At Jayco AlUla, he is in the second season of his two-year contract, which covers 2026 and 2027. Ackermann continues to chase his first stage win at the Tour de France.

Cycling Transfers 2027: Unanswered Questions and a Farewell

That leaves one major unknown. Maximilian Schachmann is set to leave Soudal Quick-Step at the end of the year, as he has recently been unable to perform at his best there. It remains to be seen where the two-time Paris–Nice winner will ride in 2027.

And there is one rider who will no longer be seen in the peloton in 2027: John Degenkolb is retiring at the end of this season. With him, we say goodbye to a Paris–Roubaix and Milan–San Remo winner and one of the most influential German riders of the past 15 years.

Conclusion

The 2027 cycling transfers show that the new generation of German riders is finding its feet, and is increasingly doing so with German teams. With Lipowitz and Steinhauser at Red Bull, Zimmermann and Kämna at Lidl-Trek, and Kanter at Astana, there is likely to be more black, red and gold representation at the forefront of major races in 2027 than there has been for a long time.