Dutchman agrees three-year deal after leaving Sunweb
Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) rides onto the stage at the Giro presentation (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Jumbo-Visma have announced the signing of Tom Dumoulin from Team Sunweb, with the Dutchman joining his new team for the 2020 season. Dumoulin has signed a three-year contract with his new team.
The Dutch team announced the long-rumoured move in a video posted to social media. The confirmation of the signing came shortly after Sunweb, Dumoulin’s team of eight years, released a statement confirming that he would be leaving at the end of the current season.
“We have one dream – winning the biggest race in the world,” stated the narration in the announcement video. “Welcome Tom. Together, we will compete for our dream.”
Dumoulin will join what is already one of the strongest Grand Tour outfits in the sport. Primož Roglič and Steven Kruijswijk are established GC contenders and will both race at this month’s Vuelta a España, while the likes of George Bennett, Laurens De Plus and Tony Martin are among a wealth of strong domestiques at the Dutch squad.
"I'm looking forward to contributing to that goal, winning a grand tour," Dumoulin said in a statement released by Jumbo-Visma later on Monday. "I was looking for a new sporting challenge and Team Jumbo-Visma is the right team for this. I'm looking forward to it. I started my cycling career with the Rabobank Continental team, a predecessor of the current Team Jumbo-Visma. That's why this step feels a bit like coming home. It's nice to represent the colours of the Dutch team."
Dumoulin had been stuck in limbo for some time since missing out on the Tour de France because of a knee injury, which had lingered since a crash at the Giro d’Italia. It was during the Tour that rumours of a move to Jumbo-Visma began, though at the time both team and rider denied such a move.
Reports of a rift between the two parties came as the 2017 Giro d’Italia winner raised concerns with the squad’s development, transfer policy and handling of his injury. With his transfer now announced and Dumoulin out for the remainder of 2019, he has already raced his last race for Sunweb.
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