Tom Dumoulin to Team BikeExchange for 2022?
L'Equipe reports Giant bikes could be instrumental in taking Dutch star from Jumbo-Visma
Tom Dumoulin could be set to break his contract with Jumbo-Visma to move to Team BikeExchange in 2022, says a report in L'Equipe.
The Dutch star still has a contract through next season but could be on his way to the Australian squad of Simon Yates and Michael Matthews next year.
Reports from Cyclingnews say the deal won't happen until 2023 however, when Dumoulin's current contract expires.
Bike brand Giant is a make way for the deal says the report, and Cycling Weekly understands the Taiwanese manufacturer is likely to replace Bianchi as BikeExchange's bike provider for next season. Giant doesn't currently have a WorldTour partner after leaving cycling's top-level following the collapse of the CCC Team last year. Premier Tech could also come on board as a co-sponsor at BikeExchange after ending an agreement with Astana this year.
Dumoulin has a long history with Giant, taking his biggest victories while riding as part of the Giant-Shimano team and Team Sunweb. He took his only world time trial title aboard the brand's time trial bike in 2017, having already that year won his first and only Grand Tour, the Giro d'Italia, ahead of Nairo Quintana. He also won stages at all three Grand Tours while riding Giant bikes.
Dumoulin joined Jumbo-Visma at the start of 2020 after breaking his contract with the Sunweb team. He failed to score a win in his first, albeit disrupted, season but proved invaluable in helping Primož Roglič dominate the Tour de France before losing the race on the final stage.
He then took a mental health break at the start of the 2021 season before returning rejuvenated to cycling in June at the Dutch National Championships. The 30-year-old then went on to take a time trial silver medal at the Olympic Games in August, behind his current trade team-mate Roglič and ahead of Jumbo-Visma's latest star signing Rohan Dennis.
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Dumoulin was then forced to end his season in September after being hit by a car while training, resulting in a broken scaphoid.
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