Netcompany Ineos have announced the arrival of two climbing talents, with Markel Beloki and Harold Tejada both joining the team for 2027, signalling a strengthening of the team’s climbing talent in a bid to return to the team's stage race glories of old.
At the same time, the team will lose sprinter Sam Welsford, who is heading for his home squad Jayco-AlUla on a two-year deal.
Rumours of both Beloki’s and Tejada’s arrival have been long-heralded, though the length of their contracts is unknown, with the British team using the phrase "from 2027" in their press releases.
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Both will provide much-needed assistance in the mountains as Netcompany Ineos hope to return to the kind of form that saw them win 12 Grand Tours with five riders across 10 seasons, though they have failed to hit the top step in a single three-week race since Egan Bernal’s Giro d’Italia victory in 2021.
Only 21, Beloki is a strong climber with a huge engine, which brought him second place at the 2024 Spanish National Championships at the age of 18. His two professional wins are also indicators of his potential, with his GC success at this year’s Tour de l’Ain coming off the back of a solo move on a mountain stage in the three-day race.
However, Beloki is yet to show his talents in Grand Tours. His results so far are nothing to write home about, as he failed to finish this year’s Vuelta a España, though a steady 35th overall in the Giro is decent for one so young.
“My ambition is to develop as a stage racer and, in time, compete for results in the Grand Tours," Beloki said.
"I know that it takes patience and consistent work, so being able to learn from experienced teammates, contribute to their success and make the most of my own opportunities is something that really motivates me."
At 29, Tejada is already proven, and while he’s not a regular winner, indeed he has just two pro victories; his most recent success came earlier in 2026 when he won a mountainous sixth stage of Paris-Nice.
“Harold is a strong, solid climber with plenty of experience. He’s been consistently up there over the last few years, and he’ll be a great support to our GC riders," said the team’s cirector of racing, Geraint Thomas.
Heading out of Netcompany Ineos’s roster, which currently stands at only 16 confirmed riders for 2027, is Sam Welsford, the Australian sprinter who has spent just one season at the team. 30-year-old Welsford is heading for Jayco-AlUla, where he’s signed for two years.
Clearly talented, his season at Netcompany has not been as rewarding as both he and the team would have hoped, despite starting the season with a stage win at the Tour Down Under. Since then, he’s struggled for results, finishing in the top 10 on only six occasions, arguably not enough for a sprinter.
His departure might also indicate Netcompany’s increased focus on stage racing, where they’ve historically been so successful, and also be a side effect of Dorian Godon’s success in punchy sprints.
As Netcompany Ineos have chased Beloki, Jayco have been after Welsford for some time. "It is really great that we have been able to finalise this deal and have him on our roster for the next two seasons," said the team’s head of performance, Gene Bates.
"Sam is well known to the team staff and riders. We are really looking forward to working with Sam and his abilities on the road. He is really focussing on road racing now and in the sprints. He will add a great deal of motivation to the group, and having him allows us to focus on some big projects for 2027 and 2028."
Welsford has ridden for a number of WorldTour teams since joining DSM in 2022, but sees this move as a homecoming.
"After five years racing at the highest level, it feels like the right time to come home and be part of an Australian team with such a strong history in the sport," he said.
"I’m looking forward to bringing my experience, continuing to develop and, most importantly, racing for something that feels very close to home. I’m really motivated to see what we can achieve together and proud to represent Australia on the world stage."
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