2016 Paris-Roubaix winner signs a new contract for 2018
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2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Matt Hayman (Orica-Scott)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Orica-Scott's Mat Hayman and Esteban Chaves celebrate the arrival in Paris(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mathew Hayman wins the 2016 Paris-Roubaix
2016 champion Mathew Hayman reflects following the 2017 edition(Image credit: Josh Evans / Immediate Media)
2016 Paris-Roubaix podium (l-r): Tom Boonen (Etixx-QuickStep), Matt Hayman (Orica-GreenEdge), Ian Stannard (Team Sky)
Mat Hayman victorious at Paris-Roubaix, 2016(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Orica-Scott team has announced that Mat Hayman has signed a new contract for 2018 and will again target the cobbled Classics and act as mentor and road captain for the Australian WorldTour team.
Hayman will turn 40 on April 20. He finally won Paris-Roubaix in 2016 after 15 attempts but is still motivated to train and race. He is expected to be part of the Orica-Scott squad for the upcoming Vuelta a España.
"I am really happy to being staying at Orica-Scott, I have really found my home here," Hayman said in a statement from the team announcing his contract extension. “I am grateful that the team still have faith in me as I am now getting very old."
Orica-Scott has signed Matteo Trentin from Quick-Step Floors, but Magnus Cort Nielsen will leave for Astana and Jens Keukeleire is expected to move to Lotto Soudal. Orica-Scott’s Classics squad also includes Luke Durbridge, Chris Juul-Jensen and Mitch Docker. Remarkably, Hayman has just two victories on his professional palmares: Paris-Bourges in 2011 and Paris-Roubaix in 2016.
"I love the Classics and will be focusing on those races again. We have grown as a team in these races and I am really excited to see what we can do in 2018," Hayman said.
Hayman will continue to mentor the many young riders on the Orica-Scott team, especially Esteban Chaves. The veteran Hayman is facing into a fifth season in Orica-Scott colours. He spent a decade of his career with the Rabobank team before riding for Team Sky between 2010 and 2013.
"Although Mat didn’t start with us he will certainly eventually finish with us," said directeur sportif Matt White.
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"We have always had a younger developing team and to have a guy with that much experience like Mat around those younger guys, it really has been invaluable. The younger riders needed time to develop and the older guys have taken the pressure over the past years to give them time to do that at their own speed."
White acknowledges that Hayman is an inspiration for his teammates.
"When you have a guy on your team who is winning Paris-Roubaix after 15 attempts, it’s a never say die attitude, which is the attitude we want in our young guys," White said.
"Success doesn’t come overnight but if you keep working hard anything is possible and Mat Hayman has proven that."
