{"id":591732,"date":"2026-04-07T18:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T18:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/591732\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T18:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T18:10:10","slug":"big-transfer-brewing-visma-reportedly-eye-former-giro-ditalia-winner-as-delayed-simon-yates-replacement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/591732\/","title":{"rendered":"Big transfer brewing? Visma reportedly eye former Giro d\u2019Italia winner as delayed Simon Yates replacement"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nA gap Visma do not usually allow to exist<\/p>\n

For a team built on control and depth, that double loss stands out. Visma\u2019s rise has been defined by having multiple solutions in the mountains, not just a single leader, and the current situation represents a clear deviation from that model.<\/p>\n

There is talent coming through. Davide Piganzoli and Jorgen Nordhagen are both viewed as long-term investments, but neither is yet at the level required to immediately step into a decisive Grand Tour support role. That leaves a short-term gap, and one that increasingly looks like it may need to be addressed externally.<\/p>\n

Hindley fits that profile. A Giro d\u2019Italia winner with a recent fourth place at La Vuelta, he represents exactly the type of rider who can operate both as a leader and as elite support in the high mountains.<\/p>\n

Opportunity meets limitation in the market<\/p>\n

His situation at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe only adds to the intrigue. With Remco Evenepoel arriving and Primoz Roglic already established, the team\u2019s leadership hierarchy has become crowded, raising questions about how much freedom Hindley will have to pursue his own ambitions. That potential squeeze, combined with an expiring contract, creates a scenario where a move could suit all parties.<\/p>\n

Visma, however, are not operating with a blank cheque or unlimited space. Team boss Richard Plugge<\/a> made that clear when speaking to Benson, stressing that the squad is already close to capacity. \u201cWe don\u2019t have many spots left, and we have extended a lot of contracts,\u201d Plugge explained. \u201cWe are looking at a few riders who could strengthen our team, but there are many teams in the same position as we are. It\u2019s about five or six spots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those comments underline a key tension. Visma may have a need, but they are not in a position to simply overhaul their roster mid-cycle.<\/p>\n

\"Simon<\/p>\n

Simon Yates won the Giro d’Italia in his only season with Visma<\/p>\n

Development first, but door not closed<\/p>\n

Plugge also reiterated the team\u2019s long-standing philosophy of building rather than buying, pointing to the way many of their current stars developed within the system rather than arriving fully formed. \u201cEveryone says we are one of the biggest teams because we have so many good riders, but they all came to us and improved within the team. That is what we are looking at: who is the next new guy?\u201d<\/p>\n

That approach would favour patience, particularly with prospects like Piganzoli and Nordhagen already in the pipeline. Yet Plugge stopped short of ruling out a major move if the right opportunity presents itself. \u201cIf a big opportunity comes along, like it did with Simon at the time, we will take it. We are always open to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

That caveat is where a rider like Hindley enters the picture. He is not just another option, but the type of market opportunity that aligns with Visma\u2019s selective approach to recruitment.<\/p>\n

A broader shift in tone around Visma<\/p>\n

All of this sits within a wider context that feels notably different from previous seasons. Staff changes, including the departure of a long-time performance figure, combined with a significant rider turnover over the winter have contributed to a less stable opening to the year than the team has typically experienced.<\/p>\n

In that light, the idea of Visma moving for an established Grand Tour climber is less surprising. It would represent a pragmatic response to a situation that has developed quickly rather than a departure from their long-term philosophy.<\/p>\n

Whether they act on it is another question. Plugge\u2019s comments make clear that any move would need to be the right one, not just an immediate fix. But with a gap in the mountains and a rider of Hindley\u2019s calibre potentially available, the conditions for a significant transfer are beginning to align.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A gap Visma do not usually allow to exist For a team built on control and depth,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":591733,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,89773,21528,166332,85,165035,175637],"class_list":{"0":"post-591732","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cycling","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-cycling","11":"tag-jai-hindley","12":"tag-richard-plugge","13":"tag-simon-yates","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-team-visma-lease-a-bike","16":"tag-transfers-negotiations"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591732\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/591733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=591732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=591732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}