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Marc Hirschi gives goodbye to an "amazing journey" at UAE Team Emirates as he moves on for 2025
CyclingTuesday, 22 October 2024 at 10:23
Marc Hirschi spent four years wearing the UAE Team Emirates colours. In that period, he was able to rack up no less than 21 victories, most of them in one-day races, including one national title.
After his breakthrough 2020 campaign, when he won a stage at Tour de France (and agonizingly close to two more triumphs), La Fleche Wallonne and finishing third at the World Championships, Hirschi seemed set out to become the future leader of his then team Sunweb with whom he previously renewed for a long period. However in the off-season, UAE team came with an offer to buy-out the Swiss talent.
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In the end, Hirschi had good period with UAE, but in the stacked team with Tadej Pogacar as supreme leader for all major classics, the Swissman never quite lived up to the expectations many, himself included, had after the impressive 2020 season.
It's still a somewhat bittersweet farewell for UAE Team Emirates who lose a captain for all the "small" classics where their Slovenian monster can't be bothered to start. Hirschi proved to be extremely efficient in taking up the leader's role winning WorldTour classics such as San Sebastian and Bretagne Classic. But Hirschi proved that he can play for general classifications at smaller stage races, taking over the Czech Tour (2.1) this summer.
Part of it might be the reason as for why will Hirschi change outfit next year and join the ambitious Swiss ProTeam Tudor Pro Cycling. This time, in a much more peaceful setting.
Hirschi's farewell start in UAE jersey was at the Veneto Classic (1.Pro) on Sunday. The 26-year-old rider finished fourth. "It would have been nice to take a win on my last race in UAE colours but I was just missing a little bit in the final today," he admits a slight drop off in the form at the end of the season.
There's not much to mourn about, looking back at the 2024 season though. "It’s been a long but also a very successful season. I’ll head into the off-season now looking back on not just an amazing season but an amazing journey with this team which has been my home for the past 4 seasons," he concludes a farewell message posted on team website.
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