"He’s a good guy and I think he’s good to work with" - Jai Hindley excited to back riding alongside Primoz Roglic at Criterium du Dauphine

With Primoz Roglic back in the peloton for the first time since crashing out at the Itzulia Basque Country, the 2024 Criterium du Dauphine proves something as pre-Tour de France tester for BORA - hansgrohe.

One of those alongside Roglic at the Dauphine is former Giro d'Italia winner, Jai Hindley, who is racing alongside the Slovenian for just the second time this year. “I haven’t done so many races with him but we just spent like three weeks on the mountain so it was pretty cosy,” Hindley told Cycling News before stage 1 which was eventually won in a bunch sprint by Lidl-Trek's Mads Pedersen. “But he’s a good guy and I think he’s good to work with."

“It’s massive for building chemistry. It’s sort of like the final dress rehearsal," the Australian continues, well aware that those who perform strongly in the Dauphine, more often than not carry that form into a positive Tour de France performance. "If you’re good here then normally you’ll be good at the Tour and hopefully, we’re good.”

Hindley also is under no illusions about what BORA - hansgrohe's job is at the Dauphine. “We want to try to win,” he insists firmly and with Roglic, Hindley and Aleksandr Vlasov as a general classification trio, they have more than a good chance. “It takes the pressure off a lot. But I also think having multiple options with multiple guys there is also good for the team.”

As mentioned, Lidl-Trek's Mads Pedersen took the win ahead of Sam Bennett in the day's bunch sprint finale with each of BORA - hansgrohe's leadership trio successfully navigating the stage without drama or incident. A trickier test awaits on stage 2 however, with Roglic one of the pre-stage favourites for the win and possibly taking the Maillot Jaune in the process too.