Team DSM has announced that Marc Hirschi has left the team. The Swiss rider's contract was scheduled to expire at the end of 2021, but the team announced Tuesday that it has terminated Hirschi's contract with immediate effect.

"Team DSM has reached an agreement to terminate the contract with Marc Hirschi without waiting for the original end date of December 31, 2021. The contract is terminated effective immediately and it has been agreed that no further comment will be made," the DSM statement said.

"Team DSM wishes Marc Hirschchi continued career success and thanks him for his contributions to the team.

Hirschi turned pro with DSM (then Sunweb) in 2019 after winning world and European titles in the under-23 road race the previous year; in 2020 he won stages of the Tour de France and Flèche Wallonne and was 3rd in the World Championships, Liège-Bastogne-Liège second place, the 22-year-old is represented by fellow countryman and former pro Fabian Cancellara.

He is the fifth well-known player to leave Ivan Spekenbrink's team early this season, with Marcel Kittel, Warren Barguil, Tom Dumoulin, and Michael Matthews all leaving the German national team before their contracts expire. Hirschi has yet to announce his new team.

More to follow...