Jai Hindley, the 25 year old who was launched to prominence with second place at last year's Giro d'Italia is set to be the latest departure from Team DSM, with the Australian heading to Bora-Hansgrohe, according to a report on well-informed Dutch website Wielerflits.
Hindley's contract expires at the end of this year and after the 2020 Giro d’Italia, where he was on the cusp of an unexpected victory, it’s no surprise that there has been plenty of discussion about the West Australian's future.
Rumours were circulating in April that Hindley would join Trek-Segafredo. However team boss Luca Guercilena denied Hindley had signed for his team.
Wielerflits said several sources had confirmed the m to Bora-Hansgrohe. Riders and teams are not allowed to announce new contracts until August 1.
However Team DSM itself acknowledged before the Giro d’Italia that the Australian could be wearing a different jersey next year.
“We would be very happy to keep Jai with the team, but we are not 100% sure if that will be the case,” Team DSM said in a statement to Cyclingnews.
He’s likely not the only rider who is expected to depart the team at the end of this year.
“There was a lot of interest for Hindley and that applies to more riders of Team DSM, which is dealing with another nine expiring contracts,” reported Wielerflits. Martijn Tusveld talks to Jumbo-Visma, among others. Nico Denz, Chad Haga, Max Kanter, Asbjørn Kragh Andersen, Nicolas Roche, Martin Salmon, Michael Storer and Jasha Sütterlin are also not yet committed for next season.”
In addition, the website said, there is talk that talented 21-year-old Belgian Ilan Van Wilder is about to end his contract a year early by mutual agreement and Søren Kragh Andersen would apparently also like to leave, despite an ongoing contract.
Australian rider Michael Matthews left the squad, then known as Team Sunweb, last year terminating his contract a year early and moving to Team BikeExchange. Other high profile riders including Warren Barguil, Marcel Kittel, and Tom Dumoulin have also all left in similar circumstances over the years, while Marc Hirschi made a shock transfer from Sunweb to UAE Team Emirates this winter.
Hindley has yet to replicate his 2020 Giro d’Italia success, having had a run of early withdrawals, with illness taking him out of the Volta a Catalunya and then a crash at the Tour of the Alps forcing him to pull out before the final stage.
In the 2021 Giro d’Italia he lost time on the first summit finish on stage 4 and continued to lose more time before pulling out of the race on the morning of stage 14, due to a painful saddle sore. He has not raced since.
