“Tomorrow I’ll die for this shirt!”, exclaimed the Australian Jai Hindley on the eve of winning the title of champion of the Giro d’Italia.
The shirt, for which the Australian would give his life, is the “maglia rosa”, symbol of the leadership of that championship. Wearing it at the end of the last stage means owning one of the most coveted titles in international cycling.
Such a sacrifice was not necessary.
This Sunday (29), Hindley, very much alive, became the new champion of the Giro d’Italia by completing the last stage, an individual time trial carried out over 17 km of streets and avenues in Verona (northern Italy), with a time of 23:55. .
The first place of the day went to the Italian Matteo Sobrero, with a time of 22m24s (the final classification is the sum of the times of the 21 stages of the championship).
The achievement makes Hindley the first Australian to achieve the feat and the second Australian to be champion of one of the 3 major laps (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta de España). The first is Cadel Evans, winner of two Tours de France (2007 and 2011).
“I’m very proud to be Australian, and I’m happy to take this title to my country,” he said as he lifted the trophy, newly spelled with his name, the latest in a list of world cycling icons.
On the golden spiral are names like Gino Bartali (Italy), Fausto Coppi (Italy), Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Bernard Hinault (France) and Miguel Indurain (Spain). The most recent name, spelled before Hindley’s, is that of Colombian Egan Bernal, who was not in the race this year due to the serious accident suffered in January.
Hindley consolidated his victory in the penultimate stage, held on Saturday (28), by overtaking the then leader, the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, and opening a 1m28s advantage over his rival on the steep ascent of the Marmolada mountain.
The fact recalls the trajectory of Hindley in the 2020 Giro, when he also took the lead in the mountains of the penultimate stage, but lost the final attempt to the British Tao Geoghegan Hart, who wore the “rose” on the final podium.
This Sunday, Hindley didn’t even have to kill himself. With the wide advantage conquered the day before, the Australian was able to parade the “rose” to the luxurious walkway of the Arena in Verona.
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