Nicolas Roche, Sam Bennett, Dan Martin, and Eddie Dunbar (left to right above) are just four of our top pros who will be announcing new teams or contract extensions soon. Conor Dunne and Ryan Mullen are in the same position
Sam Bennett (28), Bora-hansgrohe
After six years at Bora-hansgrohe – in its various guises – it always looked like a nailed on certainty that Sam Bennett would leave for new pastures in 2020. Bennett’s contract expires at the end of this year and his stock has never been higher; eight big wins including the national title in the bag already since this season began. Given the size of the races he now regularly wins, he was always going to be in demand. In reports he has been linked to Movistar, Katusha-Alpecin and even Team Ineos. However, Deceuninck-QuickStep is the now the most obvious option. Its legendary leader Patrick Lefevere said he believed he now had an oral agreement with Sam Bennett. He believed a contract would signed next month. It would be a great move for him as the likes of Elia Viviani and Marcel Kittel have excelled as dedicated sprinters at Deceuninck-QuickStep. While there are other sprinters at the team already, Viviani is moving on and the younger gallopers are much further down the pecking order of world sprinting compared to Bennett. It would mean the Irish rider would go into a hugely successful team as the clear lead sprinter. And the team is one that doesn’t burden itself with the need to ride GC in Grand Tours. Let’s hope this transfer happens as Bennett could be headed into dream territory if it does.
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Nicolas Roche (35), Team Sunweb
Currently riding with Team Sunweb, he has not agreed terms with it or any other team, that we know about, for next year. And with Team Sunweb leader Tom Dumoulin currently out with a serious knee injury and reportedly ready to depart for Jumbo-Visma, Team Sunweb is having a tricky time of late. It was beset with crashes and injuries this year and then Dumoulin crashed early in the Giro and pulled out. When he couldn’t ride the Tour because of his injuries it threw the team’s plans up in the air. However, Nicholas Roche has had a chance to go in the breakaways at the Tour as a result. He looks very lean and seems to be riding strongly. Roche is the kind of strong and ultra reliable rider that will always have offers from big teams. Expect him to stay in the WorldTour next year, either with Team Sunweb or with another outfit, possibly on a short contract but with a Tour de France place guaranteed as one of the terms of that contract.
Dan Martin (32), UAE Team Emirates
The ace climber is another Irish rider who has not publicly announced any plans yet for next year. He signed for UAE Team Emirates in the winter of 2017 for two seasons; last year and this year. And now that time is coming to an end. Martin went to UAE Team Emirates – an Italian team with Middle Eastern backing – for full support at the Tour de France after placing 9th overall in 2016 and 6th into Paris in 2017. He was riding with QuickStep Floors during both of those seasons and both performances were crash-effected. In his first year with UAE Team Emirates, last year, he was 8th overall at the Tour but was again hit by a crash and lost time. This year his team looks more organised and should be able to help him in the mountains. On paper it is a team he may now want to stay with. However, Fabio Aru is coming back after poor form and an operation. And one wonders if Aru would get more support in the future if both were healthy and going well. This Tour should tell a lot about Martin’s future, and especially whether he would extend with UAE Team Emirates.
Conor Dunne (27), Israel Cycling Academy
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One of the most popular Irish pros, Dunne has carved out a career for himself in the pro ranks as a strong domestique and breakaway rider. His career was threatened last year when Aqua Blue Sport folded suddenly after he had extended with them. Team owner Rick Delaney honoured that contract for this year, effectively paying a chunk of Dunne’s salary when Israel Cycling Academy signed him. As is the case with Nicolas Roche and Team Sunweb, there’s a lot going on at Israel Cycling Academy. Katusha-Alpecin looks like it is not continuing in its current form; as a standalone WorldTour team. And there is now the possibility Katusha-Alpecin and Israel Cycling Academy would merge into an Israeli-Russian WorldTour outfit. Whatever the future for Dunne’s team, it seems certain he would extend with them if that was open to him, which seems likely. He rode the Giro this year and did well and we’d love to see him continue at ProContinental level or go up to the WorldTour with his current team, if that’s where it’s headed.
Eddie Dunbar (22), Team Ineos
Like Conor Dunne and Nicolas Roche, only a one-year deal was confirmed for Eddie Dunbar when he signed his current contract with Team Ineos. There is no doubt whatever that the team will want to retain his services. However, the money and the type of place on the team being offered to Dunbar would need to be right for the Irishman. But once he gets a guarantee there will be times when he can try for results of his own, one would expect Dunbar to stay with Team Ineos, at least for another season or two. It is the richest team in the world and it is hard to think of a better learning environment for him in what are the formative years of his career. Still only 22 years old, he perhaps does not have to worry about being the leader of a team for most of a season until he is aged about 25 years. He could stay with Team Ineos for at least two more years and learn all he can. During that time he would support the bigger more established riders but still get some chances to win one-day races and smaller stage races. Don’t be surprised to see him extending with his current employers and spending the next two years as both a super domestique and as a rider who is regularly allowed off the leash.
Ryan Mullen (24), Trek-Segafredo
Mullen seems to have been around forever yet he is still only 24 years old. Like Dunbar, he went from the junior ranks straight into Continental level. And after 2½ years there – with IG Sigma Sport and An Post-Chainreaction – he moved to WorldTour at the end of 2015 with Cannondale; a team he spent the next two years with. Currently he’s riding the second year of a two-year contract with WorldTour team Trek-Segafredo. He won a stage of the Vuelta a San Juan at the start of last season and the national championships. This year he has won the Irish TT title again, was one second off bronze at the European Games and looked set for a likely stage win at Baloise Belgium Tour (2.HC) but for a slipped chain. He’s definitely world class on his day against the watch and the European title is one he can take in the next couple of years. If he got a Worlds course that suited him, and he had time to prepare, he could also take a medal. With the engine that he has, he would be a huge asset to any team. However, he’s the type of rider who is good enough to take results of his own. And whether his next contract or team will facilitate him in aiming to win races will be very closely watched by Irish fans. He has a lot of experience now and with the right backing the next few seasons could be exciting for him.
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