Australia’s Jai Hindley has ridden into third spot at the Giro d’Italia with just one competitive stage remaining, praising the selfless sacrifice of his Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe teammate Giulio Pellizzari.
Hindley finished sixth on the queen stage of this year’s race, a 151-kilometre from Feltre to Alleghe (Piani di Pezzè) that featured almost 5,000 metres of climbing across the Dolomites.
American rider Sepp Kuss (Visma | lease-a-bike) claimed the stage victory — completing his grand tour clean sweep — just ahead of Lidl-Trek pairing Derek Gee-West and Giulio Ciccone.
Second-ranked Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) came home fourth, finishing with the same time as race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | lease-a-bike), 4 seconds ahead of Hindley.
Sepp Kuss (in yellow, centre) claimed his first Giro d’Italia victory, adding to his stage wins at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España. (Getty Images: Dario Belingheri)
“It was a tough day out,” an exhausted Hindley told the assembled media, including the Cycling Podcast after the stage.Â
“Really epic climbs and really proud of the way the boys rode.
“It was a pretty crazy day also tactically, with some GC guys in the [breakaway] group.
“Our plan was to have Giulio in the break to go for the stage or if not, then try to help me at some point.Â
“Really big chapeau to him and how he rode today, it was some ride of him.”
Pellizzari came into the race as co-leader with Hindley, but suffered badly in the early stage of the race with illness before losing heaps of time in the alps.
That allowed him the freedom to race in the break before dropping back and taking an almighty turn on the front of the group of favourites to give Hindley the ramp to put his chief rivals under pressure.
Giulio Pellizzari set a fearsome pace for Jai Hindley and the maglia rosa, Jonas Vingegaard. (Getty Images: Dario Belingheri)
“It’s really not taken for granted what he did today,” Hindley told Cycling Pro Net.Â
“Giulio lost his GC chances, so it is nice that after such a race he can still switch gears and sacrifice himself for me.
“I know it’s not been the easiest race for him also mentally but [I’m] really grateful for what he’s done, and also the rest of the boys.Â
“We haven’t had the smoothest Giro, with some illness and whatnot. The guys have been incredible.”
Thymen Arensman (Netcompany-Ineos) suffered on the final climb, losing over a minute to Hindley on the final climb to surrender his spot on the podium as a result.
“It was pretty tough, for everyone,” the Dutchman told Eurosport.
“We had to go full throttle and that is what I did, to cycle uphill as fast as possible.
“The finish of this Giro isn’t until Rome.Â
“I will keep fighting. Today I did everything I could and I am proud of that and I am even prouder of my team, because everyone went all out. I did my best.”
Ben O’Connor struggled amid the spectacular Dolomites. (Getty Images: Sara Cavallini)
Hindley now has one final stage in the Dolomites to hold onto his podium place before the procession in Rome on Sunday, sitting 5:04 behind Vingegaard, and 1:01 behind second-placed Gall.
Michael Storer (Tudor) remains in seventh place despite an impressive ride in the day’s breakaway, finishing 10th on the day’s stage 1:19 behind Kuss.
However, Ben O’Connor (Jayco AlUla) wilted on the steep ramps, losing 9 minutes and 36 seconds on the stage, slipping to 14th on the overall standings, 18 minutes 17s off the lead.
That puts him behind fellow countryman Chris Harper (Pinarello–Q36.5), who sits 12th at 16:38 behind.
Saturday’s stage features a brutal 200km mountainous ride from Gemona del Friuli, concluding with a punishing double ascent of the 15km Piancavallo climb.
Sunday’s final stage will be a 131km stage in Rome, which will be expected to have no impact on general classification and will be largely processional until the final sprint.
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