Jack Haig is a rider who knows what it is to stand on a Grand Tour podium. However, he's been clear for some time now that his focus is no longer on chasing a return for himself to those revered steps, it's on helping guide a teammate towards them, which is part of the reason why his shift to Ineos Grenadiers in 2026 seems like a perfect pairing.
The team has been clear that its goal is to work its way back to the top step at the Tour de France, with signings like Oscar Onley and Kévin Vauquelin bolstering the ranks of future contenders. However, with experienced riders like Geraint Thomas retiring at the end of last season and Luke Rowe the year before, there is another part of the picture that could do with some fortification, and that's where the 32-year-old Australian comes in.
"Maybe they were missing some more experienced guys that really know how to steer the ship in the right direction in certain critical moments," Haig told Cyclingnews in Geelong, ahead of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, where he finished his first block of racing with his new team.
"I hope I can step into that."
Haig hasn't had many team changes through the decade he has already spent in the WorldTour, starting out with the Australian Orica-GreenEdge squad, which has now morphed into Jayco-AlUla, and then spending the last five seasons at Bahrain-Victorious.
In his first year at Bahrain Victorious, in 2021, he claimed third place at the Vuelta a España. However, it was the desire to repeat the feat of 2018, when he was part of a Grand Tour-winning team with the Australian squad, and Simon Yates claimed the top step at the Vuelta, that drew Haig to the British outfit.
In fact, it was "the obvious choice" given Haig was "really looking forward to joining a really big team that has the capability to podium at a Grand Tour and potentially even win one."
It wasn't exactly an easy year to be out of contract, not with Arkéa-B&B Hotels folding, the merger of Lotto-Intermarché, and big-name transfers such as Remco Evenepoel and Onley. However, Haig opened up discussions early and even though it was a late confirmation, he is clearly content with the outcome as he secured a two-year deal with a "preferred choice".
"I think it's a really nice place that I can restart the career, find a bit more motivation, find a bit more enjoyment, and just be part of a nice environment," said Haig.
After a couple of seasons that have been reasonably lean on the results front for both Haig and his former team, the Queensland-born rider who moved to Bendigo as a teenager is hoping the change in teams will also alter that.
The aim for the season ahead, he says, is "to try and get back to the level that I used to have, and really enjoy bike racing again, and be at the front of the bike race, making some sort of critical decisions in critical moments - hopefully being more of an influential player."
