Picnic-PostNL confirm Oscar Onley exit ahead of Ineos transfer

Picnic-PostNL have confirmed that Oscar Onley will depart the team two years before the end of his existing contract, clearing the way for his expected move to Ineos Grenadiers.

The Scot did not attend Picnic-PostNL’s December training camp in Calpe amid speculation that he was about to make the switch to Ineos, and Iwan Spekenbrink’s team has now announced Onley will not be a part of their 2026 roster.

Onley enjoyed a break-out season in 2025, placing fourth overall in the Tour de France. He also took third overall at the Tour de Suisse and fourth at both the Tour Down Under and the Tour of Britain.

News of the 23-year-old’s departure was first broken by Daniel Benson earlier this month, and Onley was absent from the training camp while Ineos and Picnic-PostNL negotiated a transfer fee. 

According to Benson, the compensation from Ineos to Picnic will come to just shy of €6 million, not far off the figure reportedly paid by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe to prise Remco Evenepoel from his contract with Soudal-QuickStep.

Onley becomes the latest in a line of high-profile riders to broker a departure from Spekenbrink’s team prior to the end of his contract. Marcel Kittel was released to join QuickStep in 2016, while Warren Barguil, Michael Matthews, Tom Dumoulin and Ilan Van Wilder also reached agreements to leave and join other teams over the years. In January 2021, the team released Marc Hirschi and he was later signed by UAE Team Emirates.

"Team Picnic PostNL have agreed to the transfer of Oscar Onley. Following his fantastic Tour de France, the team received multiple offers for Oscar’s release, all of which were initially declined," read a statement from the team on Tuesday. "However, a very late but appealing offer was made in recent days. While the team would have loved to keep Oscar for the remainder of his contract and beyond, the proposal was not one Oscar or the team could refuse and an agreement has now been reached."

It is expected that Ineos Grenadiers will formally announce the signing of Onley later on Tuesday, but the rider has already indicated that he has signed for the team. 

"Both Team Picnic PostNL and INEOS Grenadiers have a great history of racing for victories in Grand Tours, and I know for a fact that both my current and new team will continue to do so in the coming years," Onley said. 

Onley is expected to start his Ineos career at the Tour Down Under next month, and he is likely to be the British team's GC leader at the Tour de France in July.