Possible defeat for Visma in the market - Red Bull make push to maintain Hindley next to Evenepoel

Jai Hindley is one of the most coveted riders on the market, and for good reason. The former Giro d'Italia winner is a rider of great value for the mountains and the Grand Tours, making him a potential leader for any team or even a super domestique for certain riders. But Team Visma | Lease a Bike's bid to sign the Australian might be coming to an end, unsuccessfully.

Hindley is a rider that is no stranger in the peloton. In 2022, he beat Richard Carapaz to conquer the overall classification at the Giro d'Italia. That year he confirmed his potential, after he had taken the pink jersey to Milano two years prior but lost it to Tao Geoghegan Hart in the final time trial.

2022 was Hindley's first year at Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. At the time, he was the team's main card. Nowadays, aside from Primoz Roglic who has reached for the sky when he first signed but is now in a different role at the German team; the team has Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz as candidates for the Tour de France podium and also Giulio Pellizzari on the rise.

All of the competition could have been a major issue for the Australian, seeking his own opportunities to be a leader. But as was shown at the recent Corsa Rosa, that is still the case. Previously, Visma had been rumoured to be in close contact with Hindley, looking to sign the Australian in a role that would be similar to that of the retired Simon Yates.

All looked well for the Dutch team until the Giro itself, where Hindley rode a formidable race and finished third in the overall classification. Last year he was fourth at the Vuelta, and the 30-year old has proved that he is still well within his best years and capable of delivering at the highest level.

With that realization came an assumed increase in his value and most likely his salary as a result. Simultaneously, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe will have better understood that the Perth-native remains in a phase of his career where he can constantly deliver, and is still a major asset to the team.

According to journalist Daniel Benson, Hindley is likely to renew with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. The German team's budget has increased significantly over the past years with the entry of the energy drink giant, and the buyouts of contracts such as those of Primoz Roglic and Remco Evenepoel has only shown repeatedly the financial abilities that the team carries.

The team is currently building towards the Tour de France, with Evenepoel having a training-based approach; Florian Lipowitz racing and dominating the Tour of Slovenia; whilst Hindley himself is also on the shortlist for the team's lineup and could well be at the start in Barcelona as a domestique for his two leaders.