Big transfer brewing? Visma reportedly eye former Giro d’Italia winner as delayed Simon Yates replacement

Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s unsettled start to 2026 is beginning to spill into the transfer market, with the Dutch team now reportedly exploring a move for a proven Grand Tour climber to plug a gap that has opened up behind the scenes.

According to cycling journalist Daniel Benson, the team have identified former Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley as a potential target as they look to reinforce their high mountain depth following a turbulent period of exits and disruption.

The need is not difficult to trace. The departure of Cian Uijtdebroeks, combined with the unexpected retirement of Simon Yates, removed two key climbing options in a short space of time, leaving Visma thinner than usual in terrain that has historically underpinned their Grand Tour success.

For a team built on control and depth, that double loss stands out. Visma’s 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.

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.

Hindley fits that profile. A Giro d’Italia 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.

His situation at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe only adds to the intrigue. With Remco Evenepoel arriving and Primoz Roglic already established, the team’s 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.

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

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.

Plugge also reiterated the team’s 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. “Everyone 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?”

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. “If a big opportunity comes along, like it did with Simon at the time, we will take it. We are always open to that.”

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’s selective approach to recruitment.

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.

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.

Whether they act on it is another question. Plugge’s 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’s calibre potentially available, the conditions for a significant transfer are beginning to align.