The Australian does it
Jai Hindley just became only the second-ever Australian to win a Grand Tour and the first-ever rider from Bora-Hansgrohe to win one. To add to the significance, the team has never even put a rider on the podium.
Hindley did not make any big mistakes throughout the three weeks, barely losing any time to his rivals – and then he attacked on the crucial stage 20. Leaving his rivals far behind, he went into the final time-trial stage with a comfortable lead of 1:25. He could relax and ride safely but still only lost seven seconds to Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers). His overall victory was never at risk on the final day.
“It’s a beautiful feeling, really,” Hindley explained after the stage. “There were a lot of emotions out there today. To take the win is really incredible.
“I was getting updates and I also felt pretty good on the bike, I didn’t really feel like I was fighting it. 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.”
Congratulations!
Stage 21 results
1. Matteo Sobrero (Team BikeExchange-Jayco) – 22:24
2. Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) + 23 seconds
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) + 40 seconds
Final general classification
1. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) – 86:31:14
2.Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) + 1:18
3. Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Victorious) + 3:24
4. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Qazaqstan Team) + 9:02
5. Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-Victorious) + 9:14
6. Jan Hirt (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) + 9:28
7. Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe) + 13:19
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) + 17:29
9. Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost) + 17:54
10. Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo) + 18:40
Final points classification
1. Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) – 254 pts
2. Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) – 136pts
3. Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) – 132pts
Final mountains classification
1. Koen Bouwman (Jumbo-Visma) – 294pts
2. Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo) – 163pts
3. Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) – 102 pts
Final young rider classification
1. Juan Pedro López (Trek-Segafredo) – 86:49:54
2. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious) + 5:43
3. Pavel Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) + 23:03
Final team classification
1. Bahrain-Victorious – 259:48:12
2. Bora-Hansgrohe + 4:07
3. Ineos Grenadiers + 1:22:29
Damn
Well done, everyone
Thanks for the coverage, Matt!
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