Marc Hirschi signs for UAE Team Emirates

Marc Hirschi has signed for UAE Team Emirates after Team DSM terminated the rider's contract last week.

The Swiss rider has signed a three-year contract and has joined up with his new team-mates at their pre-season training camp in the UAE, where he will look to build on his impressive 2020 season.

The 22-year-old took a stage win at the Tour de France, won Flèche Wallonne, while also finishing second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and third at Road World Championships in Imola.

"Firstly, I’d like to thank my previous team for everything they’ve done for me over the past three years. I am now happy to be able to say that I am joining UAE Team Emirates. I’m really excited about the move," Hirschi said.

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"We share the same approach and goals. The UAE team is moving in the right direction and have been growing a lot over the past years. I look forward to benefit from that dynamic, both for the team and the development of my career.

"Now I’ll turn my attention to the training camp and getting to know everybody and settling in. This will be my first time ever visiting the UAE so I look forward to discovering the country."

After the announcement that Hirschi would be leaving Team DSM he was heavily linked with UAE Team Emirates, where he is expected to pick up a much larger salary as he joins up with Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar as well as new signings Rafał Majka and Matteo Trentin.

"Team DSM has reached a settlement agreement with their rider Marc Hirschi to terminate their present employment before the original end date of 31 December 2021. It has been agreed that the agreement will be terminated with immediate effect and that no further comments will be made," read Team DSM's statement when news broke that Hirschi would be leaving the team.