Tour Down Under 2022: Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley to race in South Australia
The Adelaide Hills are the next challenge for Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley after the Aussie rider committed to next month’s Tour Down Under.
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The reigning Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley will return to the Tour Down Under next month.
Hindley made history in May as the first ever Australian winner of the Giro and just the second Australian behind Cadel Evans to win a Grand Tour.
The 26-year-old from Perth competed in the 2017 edition of the TDU with Team UniSA-Australia, which was his UCI WorldTour opportunity.
He secured his first professional contract the following year and now races with German-based team BORA-Hansgrohe.
Hindley said he was looking forward to returning to the TDU.
“We spend so much of our season in Europe, so it is nice to come back and race in front of
Australian fans.
“2022 was a massive year for me and I’m looking forward to setting up my 2023 season with a strong performance in Adelaide.”
Prior to his stunning win in 2022, in which he dropped Richard Carapaz inside the final 3km of the penultimate stage to claim the pink jersey and create history, Hindley finished second at the 2020 Giro.
Hindley was in the pink jersey going into the final time trial in 2020, but British rider Tao Geoghegan Hart claimed the crown after establishing a 39-second gap on the Australian.
Race director Stuart O’Grady said it was a big coup for the TDU to get the reigning Giro winner.
“Jai is an incredible Australian talent, and we are excited that he will start his 2023 season here in Adelaide,” O’Grady said.
“This course would be really appealing to Jai, particularly the three tricky climbs through the
Adelaide Hills on stage three.”
Further riders will be announced in the coming weeks for the return of the TDU after an absence because of the pandemic.
It will take place in Adelaide and regional South Australia from January 13 to 22.
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