History as Australia’s Jai Hindley wins 2022 Giro d’Italia

Jai Hindley has become the first Australian to win the event, and only the second after Cadel Evans to win one of cycling’s grand tours.

Jai Hindley of Australia and Team Bora celebrates at podium with the Trofeo Senza Fine as overall race winner during the 105th Giro d'Italia 2022. Picture: Getty Images

Perth cyclist Jai Hindley has won the Giro d’Italia, the first victory by an Australian in a three-week grand tour since Cadel Evans’ triumph in the Tour de France 11 years ago, after setting up an unbeatable lead on the penultimate stage up the torturous Queen of the Dolomites.

“It’s really incredible,” Hindley said, immediately after he had celebrated his big win with a fist pump crossing the final stage, a time trial, on Sunday afternoon. His parents, who had travelled across from Australia, looked on.

Hindley crosses the finish line and waves the crowd at the Arena di Verona. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m really proud to be Australian, and I’m happy to take this one home, it is incredible” Hindley said.

Evans is the only other Australian to win one of cycling’s three grand tours – the Giro, Tour and Vuelta a Espana.

Four hundred kilometres away in Monaco, F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo – also from Perth – was one of the first to congratulate Hindley’s achievement in conquering one of the toughest sports events.

“It is just amazing,” said Ricciardo, adding, “I am very glad someone on the International stage flew the Aussie flag this weekend, clearly I didn’t, but I am really happy for him”.

Ricciardo had battled to 13th place during a rain-affected race on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Hindley, 26, from Perth only had to finish without crashing in Sunday’s final stage, a 17.4km time trial in Verona on Sunday afternoon, to win the coveted pink jersey after blasting his chief rival Richard Carapez in Saturday’s gruelling Passo Fedaia mountain climb.

In that mountain quest Hindley was assisted by his Bora-Hansgrohe teammate Lennard Kamna who dropped back from a breakaway on the road between Belluno and Marmolada helping him put 1m 25s on Carapaz, a former winner.

Hindley ended up winning the Giro by 1m 18s over Carapaz and finished a strong 15th in the final stage.

Hindley, pictured celebrating his victory, finished second at the event in 2020. Picture: Getty Images

Hindley’s triumph comes two years after he finished second in the same event.

”There were a lot of emotions out there today. I had in the back of my mind what happened in 2020 and I wasn’t going to let that happen again to be honest. To take the win today is really incredible.”

Hindley said he was getting updates during the time trial and with such a time advantage in that final stage he could enjoy the ride.

“I didn’t really feel like I was fighting it,” Hindley said. “It felt pretty good. I was receiving the time checks and I knew it was a decent ride, so in the end I really wanted to take the descent pretty cautiously, and then I just gave it everything to the line. It’s just an incredible feeling honestly.”

Ralph Denk Team manager Wilco Kelderman, Giovanni Aleotti, Cesare Benedetti, Emanuel Buchmann, Patrick Gamper, Lennard Kamna, Ben Zwiehoff and other Team Bora-Hansgrohe staff members celebrate Jai Hindley’s victory. Picture: Getty Images

Earlier this week Hindley had quaintly expressed that he wasn’t in the Giro to “put socks on centipedes”.

Hindley had followed the cycling passion of his father, Gordon, and was racing on the Midland velodrome in Perth by the age of seven.