Coming on the heels of acquiring Primoz Roglic as a pronounced frontrunner for the Tour de France, questions linger over who might lead BORA-hansgrohe in the 2024 Giro d’Italia. Although Jai Hindley, the Giro victor of 2022, seems an apparent choice, team manager Ralph Denk has expressed in an interview a preference to see Hindley at the Tour’s starting line instead.
Denk articulated his perspective that the Giro’s inclusion of a lengthy time trial and the advantage of having Hindley support Roglic in the Tour might tip the scales in their favour. He further specified that the challenges posed by the Giro’s extended time trials in 2024 could complicate Hindley’s prospects, given that Hindley excels as a climber and the Giro lacks the more daunting ascents where he traditionally makes a mark.
The team manager seems to be leaning towards deploying Hindley in another Tour de France. Hindley, a 27-year-old Australian, made an impactful debut in the prestigious French race this year, clinching a stage victory in the Pyrenees and donning the yellow jersey, albeit for a brief stint. He eventually finished the race commendably in seventh place.
Other Contenders for the Giro d’Italia
Nevertheless, BORA-hansgrohe is not short of options for the Giro d’Italia. The squad boasts a roster with ample potential, including Cian Uijtdebroeks, Aleksandr Vlasov, Lennard Kämna – who achieved ninth-place overall in the previous Giro – Emanuel Buchmann, and Daniel Felipe Martínez. This array of talent reflects the team’s depth in terms of riders capable of vying for the general classification in Italy’s premier cycling tour.
