Maxim van Giles' decision to break his contract with Lotto Dstny triggered a battle bust-up for another rider team, bringing professional cycling closer to the de facto rider transfer market system.

While most other sports have regulated transfer markets and player trading rules, UCI's rules on contracts have remained largely unchanged for years and are undoubtedly archaic, allowing disruptive moves even if riders start training for the new season.  

With the exception of the biggest riders and the brightest talents, rider contracts usually last only 2 years or 12 months. Changes in European law allow riders to unilaterally terminate contracts just like any other worker, but such a move is not clearly regulated under UCI rules and the consequences are often not taken into account.   

Van Gils signed a new contract with Lotto Dstny on May 3 after the team recognized his success and results. However, he then finished in 3rd place at La Fresh Wallonne and 4th place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, winning the Eshbourne Frankfurt and Grosser Pri de Canton Aargau. That made him much more "worthy", especially for some rival teams, with a larger budget and ambition. Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe, Astana, Movistar, Ineos Grenadier and even UAE team Emirates have been named as possible suitors if Van Giles can get out of the deal with Lotto Dstny. 

Informal deals have been in place and may be driving Van Gils' ambitions. Van Gils and his agent Alex Carera are actively trying to secure a better deal, as they realize that he is far more valuable than the current deal with Lotto Dstny. 

Both Lotto Dstny and Carera said that negotiations are "in progress" but are likely to end with the Belgian rider leaving the team. 

May only occur if Lotto Dstny agrees, if Van Gilles agrees to pay some form of commission or compensation if UCI accepts the contract termination is valid. His relationship with Lotto Dsnty seems to be compromised, if not over yet.  

Whatever happens, Vangils' actions have brought professional cycling one step closer to the form of a transfer system with a kind of trickle-down effect.  

The Belgian team has reportedly lost Dstny in 2025 as its 2nd sponsor and is trying to save costs as much as possible. They don't seem to be in a position to offer Van Gils a big deal, so Van Gils was able to sign a much more lucrative contract after completing a contract termination agreement with van Gils, taking the money and throwing it to another rider or other part of the 2025 team.

Virgil is not the first rider to attempt to break his contract, others have done it over the years, citing a number of reasons and justifications

Carera helped Cian Uijtdebroeks terminate his contract with Bora-Hansgrohe for Visma last year, citing various issues. I leased a bicycle. But there are also teams that are much wealthier than the other teams on the World Tour, and Pandora's box is opening, with riders and agents becoming more aggressive than ever.  

The Van Gils case appears to be a blatant move to secure a better deal. That, of course, is his right.  But the impact on sports is significant.   

The team and UCI are generally opposed to forced Big Rider transfers because of the disruption they cause. If Lemco-Evenepoel left Soudal-QuickStep for the grenadiers of Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe or Ineos, that would cause the end of the team's sponsorship, and rider agents like the Belgian Syke

Carera would typically pay about 5% of their salary as a commission. We focus on getting the best deals for riders to earn. They argue that the value of riders often rises with the market interest of riders, and more transfers mean more lucrative fees.

"If someone from a small football team can transfer to a big football team, everyone thinks it's a logical step in a footballer's career." Think about it But when a Lotto Dstny rider can get better support and go to the team, that rider is portrayed as a money-graber. I think it's completely wrong," the famous former manager Paul de Gator insisted when talking to Sporza. 

Team managers have long dominated contract negotiations and have lost control, but they still have to balance their books and strive to keep sponsors happy, often on short-term contracts. 

"Trust between riders and team leaders is fading. Soon, the contract will no longer make any sense and it will be impossible to work in the long term because of this uncertainty," the unnamed team manager told Belgian TV RTBF when asked about the Virgil's case.  

"Let's look at this problem in reverse. Can you imagine a team saying to riders in mid-11 when the transfer market was closed: Listen, we don't need you anymore, we're going to terminate your contract "No.

"This Van Gilles incident is shocking because it is 11 months. This behavior is unacceptable. It is the lack of respect and recognition for the entire structure of the Lotto Dstny team that has trained him and brought him to this level. I think the rider is hurting his image," the team boss continued.

De Geyter supports a more open transfer market and buyout fees, governed by clear regulations that respect contract law. His colleague Yannick Prévost, the deputy of Wout van Aert, is not so sure.    

"It is not possible at this time. To set up a transfer system, you need a team with a lot of capital."

" There are a few rich teams, but there are also teams like Lotto-Dstny, and we have to make sure we don't run into a deficit every year. 

"The system of transfer fees is now premature for cycling.

But it's probably coming.