Jai Hindley sends an urgent application to Evenepoel for a Red Bull trip to the Tour de France

Jai Hindley has collected all the medals in the Giro d’Italia. The 30-year-old Australian finished second in 2020, breaking through as a young climber. He confirmed that in 2022 with overall victory, and this year he came away with third place. A small miracle, given what Hindley’s body was dealing with in the second week. The Giro has, however, led to an urgent application.

Hindley started the Giro d’Italia brilliantly, arguably sharper than ever. But when he suddenly lost some time uphill in stage 9 and then came over the line in the time trial after the rest day looking ashen, everyone knew something was up. A virus was already doing the rounds at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, and Hindley confirmed before stage 11 that he too was not fit.

When Hindley somehow did not lose more time in the second week and seemed to improve again in the third week, he suddenly came back into contention for the final podium. And when he took third place in stage 19 from Thymen Arensman of Netcompany INEOS, that could almost be called a small miracle. Hindley also admitted before the final mountain stage that he had even been taking antibiotics.

Faced with the bumpy road to a Giro podium, Hindley chuckled when speaking to In de Leiderstrui. “I felt good before the Giro started and got a lot of confidence from the team. I am not a rider who wins a big race like that ten times beforehand, so it is quite a gamble for a team to still back me as leader.”

“Unfortunately I got ill in the second week and had to take antibiotics, but almost the whole peloton got sick at some point and that is also part of racing,” the ever level-headed Australian said, trying to play down the physical setback. “I was able to recover and save myself in certain stages, which meant I could go for the podium in the third week.”

That was a fine comeback for Hindley, who after two difficult years found his level again in the Vuelta a España in 2025. There he finished fourth, though. “That was bittersweet. It was hard to miss the podium when I really rode a good race. I finally felt like myself again in a Grand Tour, so that was nice. Whether I was better here, I do not know. Hopefully the best is still to come.”

He said it with a smile, but after two excellent Grand Tours Hindley knows he belongs back at the top. So he felt able to speak openly when asked what comes next. “The original plan had the Tour de France on it, to support some of the big dogs,” he said, referring to Remco Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz, who will be the team leaders in July.

“I would really love to do the Tour, with the team we are bringing. It would be cool to be part of that. Let’s see, I would love to ride it,” Hindley said without beating about the bush. “I think it would be good to combine the Giro with the Tour. It is nice to take a week’s rest and then train towards an event like that again.”

Because, as the Giro number three stressed: “If I am honest, I am tired, but I am fresher than in any other Giro I have ever done. I think that is because I started the season later, because I was quite sick at the start of the year. That pushed everything back a bit, and maybe that helped me arrive here fresher.”

Hindley would not be the only one to attempt the Giro-Tour double. Giro winner Jonas Vingegaard is going all in on the double for Visma | Lease a Bike, and number four Arensman would normally be there in July too. “Jonas was impressive, but the Tour is a different beast. He is consistent, so chapeau to him and his team. He can really go for it in the Tour as well,” Hindley said.

About his own return to top form, the stage racer could only be pleased and thankful. “I am just happy, because you put so much work into this and the people around you sacrifice so much for it. They trust you, and I am happy to have such people around me.”

Bram van der Ploeg ( X: @BvdPloegg | email : [email protected])