Aussie star Jai Hindley extends deal with German team

Jai Hindley has ended speculation about his cycling future by signing a contract extension with BORA-hansgrohe, the German team that helped him become Australia's second-ever Grand Tour winner.

There had been plenty of talk about the Perth rider's future with BORA when the team last year signed Slovenian superstar Primoz Roglic as their main man for the Grand Tour events.

But Hindley, who won the 2022 Giro d'Italia in BORA colours, has pledged his commitment to the outfit with whom he'll play a support role to Roglic at the Tour de France this year after wearing the leader's yellow jersey for them as team leader in 2023.

There had been conjecture that 27-year-old Hindley might feel Roglic's arrival would limit his race leadership opportunities and would be wooed by another outfit, such as Australian outfit Jayco-AlUla.

But Hindley, the only Australian other than 2011 Tour de France champion Cadel Evans to win a Grand Tour, said in a team statement on Wednesday he felt BORA was like his "second family".

Hindley's existing deal had been due to expire at the end of 2024 and no details of the length of the extension were given.

"I'm very happy to extend with BORA–hansgrohe," he said.

"I really appreciate the trust and opportunities that the team has given me so far, and everything the team has done for me.

"They've been a huge part of my career and development. It's really become like a second family for me, and I feel at home here.

"We have the same vision, and I'm grateful for the trust they've put in me to fulfil this."

Team boss Ralph Denk said: "I am delighted that we have been able to retain Jai ... With Jai we celebrated the biggest Grand Tour success in the team - his abilities are obvious."

The news came as Hindley was spearheading the German team's efforts in the first stage of the prestigious Tour de Romandie in Switzerland.

Frenchman Dorian Godon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) took Wednesday's stage, a bumpy 165.7km slog from Chateau-d'Oex ending in a sprint in Fribourg to win from teammate Andrea Vendrame and Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Following Tuesday's prologue, the win put Godon into the race leader's jersey, six seconds ahead of Vermeersch. Hindley is 16 seconds down in 39th place.