With the transfer window now open, attention is shifting from racing to contracts across the women’s peloton. For Belgian duo Margot Vanpachtenbeke and Lotte Claes, this marks the start of a decisive period. Both riders are out of contract with VolkerWessels at the end of the season and, after showing promising form at the Tour de France Femmes, may now be looking to step up to a higher level.
Vanpachtenbeke has quietly impressed in France, often spotted in the wheels just behind the GC favourites and riding with calm efficiency. She already stood out earlier in the year at the Tour of Flanders and now seems ready to make the leap into a more ambitious role. “If there are teams looking for someone with her qualities, they’ll check with her manager to see if she’s available,” explained former pro Marijn de Vries on the Vlammen podcast. “Then they’ll talk salary, and from there the negotiations begin.”
It’s a shift from how things used to work. De Vries recalled that, in her own time as a rider, she was sending emails to teams directly. “You’d write: ‘Hey, I’d like to ride for you.’ If you were good, you’d get a few offers. Now almost every top-level rider has a manager, and it’s the manager who goes out and pitches the rider to other teams.”
But it’s not a loud or visible process. “It usually happens under the radar,” said De Vries. “You’re not putting your rider on a noticeboard and shouting ‘please take her’. But conversations happen behind the scenes.”
Photo Credit: GettyClaes, who held the top Belgian spot on GC through much of the race’s first half and won Omloop het Nieuwsblad earlier in the season, is in a similar situation. She’s still without a confirmed team for 2026 but isn’t panicking. According to De Vries, the timeline for women’s cycling transfers has evolved. “In the past, most deals were done in September. Now they often happen earlier in the year but get announced around this time.”
She also stressed that riders still have time. “Even if you haven’t signed yet, you’ve got the rest of the season to figure things out. There’s no reason to worry in early August.”
Vanpachtenbeke’s development this season has not gone unnoticed. She’s shown she can survive tough terrain, support leaders, and race with intelligence. That kind of versatility is valuable for mid-sized or upwardly mobile WorldTour teams, especially as they prepare to rebuild their support rosters for 2026. Her role might not be flashy, but it’s functional – and there’s a growing recognition in the sport that riders like her win and save races.
Claes, meanwhile, brings GC consistency and race nous. She’s proven herself over long stages, adapts well to different terrain, and can read race situations with clarity. Whether she remains within the Dutch structure or moves to a team with clearer leadership roles may come down to how conversations progress in the coming weeks.
Photo Credit: Tour du LimousinWhat’s certain is that both riders have done the most important thing – ride well when eyes are on them. With team budgets and sponsor deals already shaping 2026’s team structures, that timing may prove crucial.
Not every rider at VolkerWessels is waiting on clarity. Scarlett Souren and Eline Jansen are already signed through to 2027, giving the team a solid base for the years ahead. Whether Vanpachtenbeke and Claes are part of that project remains to be seen.
On the podcast, De Vries joked about how much simpler things could be. “A sort of Tinder for riders would be fantastic,” she said. “You swipe right if you want them in your team, left if you don’t. But that’s not how it works.”
For Vanpachtenbeke and Claes, however, the real-life version of that process is now underway – quiet conversations, private emails, and hopefully, the right match.
