Team DSM are thrilled to announce the signings of Matthew Dinham, Alex Edmondson and Sean Flynn to their Men’s program next season. Edmondson is contracted for the 2023 season, Flynn through 2024 while Dinham will wear the distinctive two-striped jersey until the end of 2025.
Photo Credit: Freddy Guérin / DirectVelo
Matthew Dinham (AUS)
A talented rider, Dinham has tasted success in cross-country mountain bike events where he was U23 Australian and Oceanian champion in 2019 and took the Elite Australian title earlier this year. Looking to the future, Dinham will focus on the road with the team where he has also tasted victory and achieved impressive results throughout his career in the U23 ranks. 2021 saw him take an impressive 12th place on GC at the Tour de l’Avenir on debut which he followed up with eighth on GC at the Tour de Bretagne. This season started off strongly with a double second place at the Australian national championships before a series of impressive results in Europe; fifth on GC at Tour de la Mirabelle, seventh overall at Tour du Pays de Montbéliard, ninth at Tour Alsace – all of which culminated in a brilliant solo win over challenging mountain parcours at the Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc. Dinham then repeated another good performance at the Tour de l’Avenir where he went one place better than 2021, with an 11th place finish; and followed that up with seventh at a home World Championships.
Dinham said: “I’m looking forward to joining Team DSM. There is a good track record of Aussie MTB riders coming to the team and doing well like Chris [Hamilton], and I also raced against Kevin [Vermaerke] too in the past. I’ve seen from afar how the team has done a really good job at taking those guys on and improving them as riders. Next year I just want to learn as much as possible and be the best help I can for the team’s finishers so we can get the best results. On a personal level, I see myself more as a climber and GC rider, who has a bit of punch, but I just want to grow as a rider overall with the team and get some nice results.”
Team DSM coach Rudi Kemna added: “Matthew has had a good year in the U23 category, winning races and finishing second in both the road and time trial national championships. His Australian mountain bike title shows his versatility as a rider and someone that has good skills on the bike. In the future with our guidance, we think he can become a strong rider in the mountains but also possibly in the hilly one-day races too. This year at Tour de l’Avenir he had some bad luck but showed a resilient character to keep fighting and finish in 11th place there. We’re looking forward to working with Matthew and help him realise his potential.”
Photo Credit: Cor Vos
A professional for seven years, Edmondson combined track and road racing in his youth, picking up multiple Australian and World titles on the boards alongside an impressive win at the Ronde van Vlaanderen Beloften, the U23 edition of the famous monument. Making the transition full-time to road racing in 2016, Edmondson has shown his strength riding in support of his teammates, whether that be as part of a strong sprint train or putting his power to use in the time trials; and he was part of his team’s winning performance at the 2019 Tirreno-Adriatico TTT. His crowning glory on the road was a national title winning performance at the 2018 Australian road race championships after just holding off a charging pack from a mid-race breakaway. This year has seen Edmondson faced with several setbacks due to illness and crashes, but it has only made the Australian even more motivated for the coming seasons.
Edmondson said: “I am really looking forward to joining Team DSM. The team has a lot of young but very talented guys and being able to help and spur them on is something that really motivates me. I also like how the team approaches things and they think outside the box, going down different pathways and avenues. They are a very successful team and I want to be part of that success going forward. I know a few of the guys already on the team and am eager to hit the ground running come January.”
Team DSM head coach Rudi Kemna added: “Alex is an experienced rider in the peloton and has been a part of a lot of successes at his previous team; particularly as a member of the sprint block where he played an important role. It’s in that similar role where we think Alex can bring a lot of experience to our team, as well as his in-race tactical awareness and quick-thinking in stressful moments during races. He is also someone that holds himself and others to a high standard and that accountability is something which is valuable as we look to progress our sprint block to the next level.”
Photo Credit: Istrian Spring Trophies / Stiehl Photography
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Coming from a multi-discipline background, Flynn has held British titles in the junior ranks for the road circuit championships but also over the rougher and muddier terrain taking both the cyclocross and cross-country mountain bike national titles too. Making the transition full-time to road racing at the start of 2021 in the U23 category, Flynn picked up several solid results in one-day races and took his first podium finish with second on a stage at the Circuit des Ardennes. This year saw him start with a bang, taking his first UCI level win at the Istrian Spring Trophy, a race where he finished third overall. A consistent string of performances has followed with several top tens throughout the season: a sprint jersey win at the Giro Valle d’Aosta, tenth place at the Commonwealth Games where he helped his Scottish teammate to a bronze medal, and a recent fourth places at the Tour of South Bohemia and Paris Tours U23.
