Jai Hindley officially rejects Visma | Lease a Bike, signs new contract with Red Bull: 'Big personal ambitions'

Jai Hindley is staying with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The Australian climber had been the subject of intense interest from Visma | Lease a Bike in recent months, but speculation was put to rest after new information emerged: the former Giro d’Italia winner isn’t going anywhere. He has signed a new contract with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, the team he is currently battling extreme heat with at the Tour de France.

Hindley has been riding for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe since 2022, when the team was still simply known as BORA-hansgrohe. In his first year, he immediately won the Giro d'Italia. Later, he won a stage in the Tour de France and wore the yellow jersey, eventually finishing in seventh place. With a fourth-place finish in the 2025 Vuelta a España and a third-place finish in this year’s Giro, he has consistently proven that he remains among the best in the world.

Visma | Lease a Bike was looking to bolster its climbing lineup, especially after Simon Yates’s sudden retirement. The Briton retired from cycling after winning the Giro d’Italia in 2025. Add to that the departure of Cian Uijtdebroeks, and there’s a clear gap. The Dutch team was looking for a new lead-out man for Jonas Vingegaard—and, moreover, someone who could deliver results on his own. With Hindley's contract expiring, Visma thought they could snap the Aussie up.

There was some serious flirting, and for a brief moment, a transfer even seemed to be on the horizon. But after it had already been suggested that he would stay, confirmation followed in July: the Australian climber has extended his contract with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, the team announced on its website. “Jai has been one of the best Grand Tour riders in the world for years,” says Chief of Sports Zak Dempster.

At the Tour de France, Hindley is currently a crucial support rider for team leaders Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz. “What makes him so valuable goes far beyond his performance: he sets an important example for the entire team, and especially for the new generation of Grand Tour riders. The fact that he has committed his future to us is a strong statement.”

Hindley himself is very happy that he can stay. “I’m very grateful and happy that I’ve extended my contract and that I can continue my journey with Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. I love working with everyone here—it feels like a second family. I have big personal ambitions, and so does the team. I believe this is the right environment to grow and keep improving.”

The team has not commented on the length of the contract, but it is reportedly a deal that runs through 2028.