Jai Hindley is one of only two former winners taking the start of the Giro d’Italia in 2026, alongside Egan Bernal, but four years after his pink jersey triumph in Verona, even he isn’t afforded the luxury of sole leadership as Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe try to form a plan to challenge the standout favourite: Jonas Vingegaard.
If anything, there was a question mark over whether Hindley would be riding this, his sixth Giro, as a domestique for rising Italian star Giulio Pellizzari, who has impressed this season by winning the Tour of the Alps overall and two stages, a key form-marker for his home Grand Tour.
Having combined well with Pellizzari at the Vuelta a España last season but ultimately lost out significantly to Vingegaard, though – Hindley was 3:41 down in fourth at the close and the Italian 7:23 in arrears – they will know the challenge presented by the two-time Tour de France winner well.
“Giulio is riding really well. I think he’s also improved a lot since last year – I mean, last year he stepped up quite a lot already,” said Hindley of his Italian teammate. “But again, now he’s riding at a really, really high…
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