Cadel Evans and Jai Hindley share a special connection
Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley has described the mental battle he faced after a heartbreaking last stage cost him the historic title two years before.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Giro d‘Italia winner Jai Hindley has detailed what it takes to challenge at the top of elite cycling as he prepares to take on the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday.
The 26 year old claimed the famous victory in 2022, following cycling great Cadel Evans path to become the second Australian to win a Grand Tour event.
Hindley said the victory had been vindicating after a heartbreaking finish in 2020.
“It felt fantastic to win, not just for the win but also because I was so close in 2020,” he said.
“That second place really hurt and I feel like it helped motivate me to come back and challenge again.
“To be in that category alongside Cadel (Evans) is pretty amazing, but there’s plenty of talented Australian riders who will challenge for Grand Tours in the future.
“It definitely is tough work to get there though, 2020 was a really tough way to learn that.”
Hindley was leading the Giro d’Italia going into the last time trial in 2020, before he was overtaken and ended up finishing second in the overall category.
But the rider said his turnaround in 2022 to win the tour had changed his career.
“Life has got a little bit more hectic, there’s certainly more commitments like the media that I have to do, but my life itself hasn’t changed too much,” he said.
“I’m a pretty quiet sort of bloke who doesn’t love the spotlight too much, so it is funny trying to battle that because the extra stuff can be pretty taxing at times.
“I guess it’s all a learning experience as well, it’s all part of the process so it’s not the worst thing.
“At this point I’m using that to build the year up, Sunday will be a tough race but it’s all part of the plan to build up this year.
“The calendar leading into the Tour (de France) is all mapped out, so that’s pretty exciting to have something to work towards.
“I have goals set that I want to achieve on the build up, but the main goal is to be in France in July in the best possible shape I can be.”
‘Special connections’ between two of Australia’s greats revealed
GIRO d’Italia winner Jai Hindley has revealed the “special connection” he shares with legendary cyclist Cadel Evans ahead of his namesake Geelong race.
The 26-year-old rider will start Sunday’s male Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race as one of the favourites.
Hindley and Evans are the only Australians to ever win a Grand Tour event, with the Evans famously winning the Tour de France in 2011 and Hindley claiming the Giro d’Italia in 2022.
“It’s a really special connection between the two of us, at the moment it’s just two Aussies to have won Grand Tours, but for sure there’s going to be someone joining us soon,” Hindley said.
“It’s really cool, he’s Australia’s greatest ever rider and someone who I watched growing up, it’s pretty incredible to get to talk to him and learn from him, he’s a real inspiration of mine and really all of Australian cycling.
“He’s been in pretty constant contact over the past couple of years, he sends me messages every now and then.
“I think it’s really cool even getting to chat to him for five minutes and I try to absorb everything I can from him, he’s got so much experience and wisdom about it all, so anything I can pick up will help me.”
The breakthrough win in Italy was a vindication victory for Hindley, who was in a position to win the event in 2020 before a final-stage time trial saw him finish second.
Evans was roadside in Italy with his family to watch the final stage of Hindley’s landmark win, supporting the Australian cyclist as a fan like thousands of others watching on.
He said it was “heartbreaking” to watch Hindley fall short in 2020.
“I was able to sympathise with him a lot as I watched that race, being so close to winning it but being so far away at the same time,” he said.
“Of course watching him again last year in the Giro was so exciting, I went across to watch that last stage in person and I got to watch him pass by from the side of the road, so it was great to go as a fan and watch an Aussie win the Giro.
“This new wave of Aussies coming through is really exciting to watch, and Jai is right there with the best of them.”
Originally published as Cadel Evans and Jai Hindley share a special connection
‘Get along really well’: Cat, ex-Sun on Rowell link amid club interest
Jack Bowes played several seasons with Matt Rowell at the Suns before joining Geelong. He sheds light on his connection to the No.1 pick and whether he will attempt to lure him to the Cattery.
SSP latest: Dogs make surprise call on VFL sensations
It was thought the Western Bulldogs were deciding between Brayden Crossley and Dom Brew for their final AFL list spot. But the club has taken another path.