Limit losses in the Hungarian time trial
The opening stage negotiated successfully, it was on to the time trial in Budapest, a discipline where Hindley does give away a bit of an advantage to many of his major rivals. However, in what his team sport director Enrico Gasparotto ‘the best time trial performance of his career’ Hindley didn’t lose major time to the riders with whom he would battle for the pink jersey.
After Stage 2: 23rd, +45 seconds
A blockbuster win on Blockhaus
Stage 9 was the hardest route to that point at the Giro d’Italia. The volcanic Mt Etna had narrowed the group of contenders for the race down to an elite 15, but the brutal ascent of the Blockhaus at the end of a day with over 5,000 metres of climbing was another matter entirely.
Hindley himself said afterwards that he wasn’t on the best of days and that showed as he was left behind by a surge by Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers), Romain Bardet (Team DSM) and Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious).
However, the West Australian fought back with a small group twice to get back in contention for the final sprint. Hindley played it smart, first through the final corner and opening a gap with his long sprint that his rivals couldn’t match on the finish line.
After Stage 9: 5th overall, +20 seconds
BORA-hansgrohe show their strength
Stage 14 wasn’t going to be an intense one for the peloton, bar maybe watching closely for any sneaky attacks from rivals on the final climb, but the German team made it one of the toughest days of the whole race.
Hindley’s team cranked up the pace midway through the 147-kilometre stage, sending riders that had been in with a shot at the general classification out of the battle for the win. Carapaz proved himself a formidable foe by attacking late in the race, but Hindley was able to catch up on the final climb in what would be a preview of the final week’s battle.
After Stage 14: 2nd overall, +7 seconds
The wait is worth it as Hindley strikes on Marmolada
A stalemate over the next few stages was the feature of the battle between Hindley and Carapaz, and the Australian was three seconds adrift of the Ecuadorian for four stages as they shadowed and stopped each other’s attacks like well-matched expert swordsmen.
When that changed, it was in dramatic fashion on the fearsome slopes of the Marmolada climb to the Passo Fedaia. Carapaz was looking in good shape as he attacked off the back of some impressive pace-making by his teammates on the climb and he was immediately followed by Hindley. The Australian then forced the pace, spotting teammate Lennard Kämna just ahead as he was dropping back from the early breakaway.
Kämna provided a crucial bit of teamwork, upping the pace with Hindley sitting in his slipstream, with Carapaz struggling to hold on. The former Giro winner was dropped after a few hundred metres, just a few seconds before Kämna himself ran out of energy, and it was left to Hindley to go solo and put as much time as possible into Carapaz.
Despite clearly going very deep into his energy reserves, Hindley was able to extend his lead all the way into the finish line as Carapaz saw riders that had been left behind previously catching him and then dropping him. It was still a good ride as the fourth rider home of the GC candidates, but Hindley’s massive performance saw him pull almost a minute and a half’s swing in time on his closest rival.
After Stage 20: 1st overall, 1 minute and 25 seconds lead
Bring it home in Verona
With a sizeable buffer heading into the final 17-kilometre time trial, it was a case of mission nearly accomplished for Hindley. Bad luck or very bad legs after his intense efforts the day before could still cost him victory.
From early on, it was clear that the result wasn’t in doubt, as Hindley was only a second behind Carapaz at the intermediate time check. He was able to minimise risk on the downhill section before powering into the finish for 15th, the best result in Hindley’s still young career at professional level.
After Stage 21: Australia’s first-ever winner of the Giro d’Italia, second-ever Grand Tour winner alongside Cadel Evans.
