11 best out-of-contract riders who could be changing teams for 2018

1. Dan Martin

Sixth at the recent Tour de France (even with a broken back), Dan Martin is one of a number of riders possibly on their way out of Quick-Step Floors with the team's future still up in the air.

The Irishman enjoyed a strong spring with second places at La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège before recording his best Grand Tour performance at the Tour, and is rumoured to be on his way to UAE Team Emirates for the 2018 season.

2. Alberto Contador

Having signed a one-year deal with Trek-Segafredo at the start of the year, Alberto Contador's team for what is expected to be his final season before retirement is still yet to be confirmed.

>>> WorldTour transfer rumours: Warren Barguil to Fortuneo-Oscaro; Team Sky sign Movistar time trial specialist?

However Contador is expected to stay with his current team, although contract talks are apparently taking longer than expected due to wranglings over the Spaniard's race programme.

3. Rigoberto Uran

A surprise runner-up in the 2017 Tour de France, Rigoberto Uran's stock has shot upwards in recent weeks as he negotiates what should be an improved contract at Cannondale-Drapac.

The American teams new sponsorship from technology giant Oath should help to meet any increased wage demands that the Colombian may have, making a change of teams unlikely, although Uran is still attracting interest from a number of other teams with bigger budgets.

4. Alexander Kristoff

Apparently unhappy and certainly out-of-contract at Katusha-Alpecin, Alexander Kristoff should be on the move for the 2018 season, with Astana appearing to be the most likely destination.

The Kazakh team have been without a sprinter in 2017 after the departure of Andrea Guardini (although young Italian Riccardo Minali has been picking up a few top 10s) making Kristoff a perfect fit..

5. Marcel Kittel

Kristoff's likely departure from Katusha-Alpecin will open a berth for a big-name sprinter whose surname begins with K that looks destined to be filled by Marcel Kittel.

The German sprinter reportedly met with Quick-Step Floors team boss Patrick Lefevere in mid-June to discuss his and the team's futures, but he now looks set to depart after two years with the Belgian outfit.

Watch: The best of the 2017 Tour de France

6. Fabio Aru

Fifth at the Tour de France despite a lack of team support, Fabio Aru is out-of-contract at Astana and could be on the move having spent six years and his whole professional career at the Kazakh team.

The Italian rider looks almost certain to move to UAE Team Emirates as their main GC contender, heading up a team that is rumoured to be playing with a budget equal to that of Team Sky for the 2018 season.

7. Louis Meintjes

With Aru apparently on the way in to UAE Team Emirates, young GC hopeful Louis Meintjes seems to be on his way out as he looks to kick- on from two successive eighth places at the Tour de France.

The most likely destination appears to be Dimension Data, the team that the South African left to join what was then Lampre-Merida in 2016.

8. Mikel Landa

After two years at Team Sky, culminating in fourth place at the Tour de France, Mikel Landa seems to be on his way out of the British team, with a contract with Movistar apparently already signed if not announced.

His fourth place at the Tour having come two years after he finished third at the Giro d'Italia, Landa is apparently hopeful of leading Movistar at the 2018 Tour de France, something that could bring him into conflict with Nairo Quintana.

9. Warren Barguil

One of the revelations of the 2017 Tour, Warren Barguil might be hoping to go to next year's race with his eyes on GC, something that probably won't be possible at a Tom Dumoulin-led Team Sunweb.

Instead Barguil may be looking at other options. Astana are rumoured to be among those interested in the Frenchman, although second division Fortuneo-Oscaro (where Barguil rode as a stagiaire in 2011) may be a more likely destination.

10. Tejay van Garderen

With no new contract having been announced so far, Tejay van Garderen's six years at BMC Racing may be coming to an end after his tilt at the Giro d'Italia yielded a disappointing 20th on GC (although balanced out with a stage win).

With van Garderen still appearing to want to ride for the GC at Grand Tours in the future, a departure from BMC looks possible, although the American's destination not so certain.

11. Domenico Pozzovivo

After five years at Ag2r La Mondiale, Domenico Pozzovivo could be moving back to an Italian-speaking team with a transfer to Bahrain-Merida on the cards.

Pozzovivo has finished in the top-10 of the Giro d'Italia on five occasions, but could find himself riding the Tour in 2018 as he is called into the service of Vincenzo Nibali.