Jai Hindley celebrated his extraordinary success in special company.
Just in time for his big coup at the 105th Giro d'Italia, the parents of the 26-year-old Australian professional cyclist flew from home to Italy to celebrate the first overall victory in a Tour of Italy by a rider from Down Under in Verona.
In the city in northeastern Italy, the 26-year-old professional from the German Bora-hansgrohe racing team made the overall victory in 2022 perfect in the final individual time trial on Sunday.
"It's an unbelievable feeling, with great emotions.
Of course, I had 2020 in the back of my mind and was a bit afraid of losing the jersey," said an overwhelmed Hindley afterwards, adding: "I'm a proud Australian and I'm really happy."
1:18 minutes ahead of Richard Carapaz
In 2020, Hindley was already the overall leader in the final Giro time trial in Milan, but had to leave the triumph to the British Tao Gheoghan Hart.
This time Hindley didn't let the Maglia Rosa be taken away from him and achieved his greatest success to date as a professional cyclist in the Verona Arena - and the first overall victory in a Grand Tour for his Bora-hansgrohe team.
In the end, Hindley was able to hold his ground in front of Richard Carapaz from Ecuador with 1:18 minutes.
Hindley had taken the pink jersey from the road Olympic champion and overall Giro winner in 2019 the day before at the Fedaia Pass.
Third place on the podium went to Spaniard Mikel Landa, 3:24 behind Hindley.
The day's victory in Verona after 17.4 kilometers in a fight against the clock went to the Italian Matteo Sobrero ahead of the two Dutchmen Thymen Arensman and Mathieu van der Poel.
The best German was Lennard Kämna, 1:31 minutes behind Sobrero in 13th place. Hindley was two places behind, 15th in the daily ranking.
But not only Hindley, who, in addition to the overall victory, was also able to celebrate the victory of the difficult ninth stage on the Blockhaus, caused the team from Raubling in Upper Bavaria to cheer.
Emanuel Buchmann was seventh overall, 13:19 minutes behind Hindley as the second Bora professional in the top 10. Compatriot and teammate Kämna had already ensured the only German day victory in the first major national tour of the year on the fourth stage on Mount Etna.
“I had an extremely difficult preparation with many setbacks.
I'm not at my absolute top level, but I'm doing quite well.
And I also see it as a positive thing that I was able to ride at a good level for three weeks without a serious fall or illness,” said Buchmann.