Jay Vine may only be a few months into his first season with UAE Team Emirates but already the Australian has extended his initial two-year contract through to the end of 2027, committing to five years with the squad.
"My wife Bre and I often talk about the next step in my career, and after joining UAE, the next logical step was to try and further secure my place in the peloton over the next few years; doing that with UAE is such a natural fit," said Vine. "I really think we can achieve some epic results over the next few years.”
The 27-year-old used the Zwift Academy as a stepping stone to the WorldTour at a time when the already limited narrow range of pathways became razor thin amid the COVID-19-induced border closures in Australia. The late-comer to professional cycling quickly showed that he belonged in the top ranks when he joined Alpecin-Fenix in 2021 following his selection through the Zwift Academy, coming second overall on his first outing with the team at the Tour of Turkey. He also took to the podium on a stage at his very first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España, then the next year made it to the top step twice.
Vine shifted to the world's top-ranked squad, UAE Team Emirates, at the start of 2023, ending his contract with Alpecin early and immediately capitalising on the GC strength of his new team when he started this season on home soil.
"A lot has happened already in my first season with UAE, straight away the team fully backed me, and helped bring me to a successful start to the season at Tour Down Under and Australian National Championships," said Vine, who won his home WorldTour stage-race and also secured the Australian time trial title in January.
"I did get slowed down by my knee injury, but even through that, the team has been exceedingly supportive both on and off the bike. Everyone has been so welcoming and it honestly wasn’t hard for me to find my place within the team, they have a huge amount of GC experience, and I’ve already learned so much under the guidance of the staff and the other riders."
Vine – who is recovered from the knee injury that saw him pull out of the UAE Tour and is currently riding his first Giro d'Italia – is among four key riders that the team has secured through to the end of the 2027 season. The Australian joins the world's top-ranked rider Tadej Pogačar, the talented 20-year-old Spaniard Juan Ayuso – who is signed through to the end of 2028 – and the promising 18-year-old from Switzerland, Jan Christen, who will join the squad next year.
“We saw a lot of potential and talent in Jay and also a margin for improvement," said team principal and CEO Mauro Gianetti. "We have worked with a lot of detail on aspects such as his biomechanics and his training and we have seen him take steps forward.
"We are pleased with his progression and good attitude to being part of this team and we hope to continue to take those steps forward together in the years ahead.”
