Picnic PostNL team boss Spekenbrink calls for changes after Onley departure: 'Need transfer system like in football'

Picnic PostNL will need to regroup in 2026 following the departure of team leader Oscar Onley. The Scottish rider was expected to be the team’s star for the coming seasons but instead chose a move to INEOS Grenadiers. It is a major blow, with general manager Iwan Spekenbrink having been keen to keep the fourth-placed finisher from the most recent Tour de France on board. The Dutchman is now calling for changes within the sport.

The first rumours began to circulate at the start of December. INEOS Grenadiers were looking for a new team leader, preferably from Great Britain. The 23-year-old Onley, who had finished just off the podium at the Tour de France, was the obvious candidate. Less than three weeks after the first whispers, the deal was done: Onley signed a two-year contract.

The move came as quite a surprise to Picnic PostNL. The Dutch team had wanted to keep the young climber at all costs, but Onley had ambitions he felt he could not ignore. “On a personal level, when it happened, I had three or four days of saying 'shit'",Spekenbrink told Cyclingnews. “This is not what we wanted.”

Onley had effectively rescued his team with his results last season, most notably of course with his outstanding Tour de France. "When you build something, when you have success, and when there is a really good connection, it's always hard. Oscar has integrity; he is an honest guy, he gives his all for his job, so it was nice to work with him."

Spekenbrink says he was able to convince the team’s sponsors to accept the transfer, with Picnic PostNL now doubling down on discovering and developing new talent. The departing Scot is a perfect example of that philosophy. "Two years ago, few people knew about Oscar. We have a way of finding talent, and we invest a lot in it. What happened with Oscar is not a result of working poorly; it's a result of working well. It's a confirmation of work."

According to reports, Picnic PostNL will receive a significant fee for Onley, but Spekenbrink still believes the system needs reform and hopes the UCI steps in. "We need a transfer system like in football. In football, you can change teams, but you have to agree to a transfer fee. Now, too many games are being played in cycling, especially by agents. It's chaos."

Spekenbrink went on to label some agents as “cowboys”. With Max Poole still on the roster as another British top talent whose contract is nearing its end, the issue feels particularly pressing. "Whether we like it or not, we need to have a system in place where if you have a contract, then there's also an agreed-upon fee. For that fee, you don't have to even negotiate; you can go. But if the fee isn't paid, the rider has to stay and respect the contract."