Jai Hindley is looking forwards to stage 17 which will feature Col de la Loze: "It's going to be an epic stage"

Jai Hindley introduced himself at Tour de France 2023 in big style, winning the stage 5 to Laruns from a daily breakaway and taking yellow jersey along the way. However he didn't get to enjoy it for long time as the defending champion Jonas Vingegaard took it back on the very next day.

In an interview with IDLProCycling, Hindley expresses how much this meant to the Australian: "It's my first Tour, so I wasn't sure what to expect. To win a stage on day five and take over the yellow jersey is truly incredible."

"I actually couldn't believe it," he continues. "It has truly been an outstanding week for me. I'm also pleased with my current position in the standings. While I did lose some time to the top favorites, I'm not really concerned about it. My focus is on riding my own race and seeing how it unfolds. Besides, I'm thoroughly enjoying every experience here."

"There are definitely a lot of particularly tough stages ahead. I even scouted some of them on-site during my preparation. I believe the time trial will be especially decisive, as it is a highly challenging race against the clock. The following day, we have a stage featuring the Col de la Loze. That will undoubtedly create significant gaps," he explains, referring to the grueling climb that spans 28 kilometers at an average gradient of 6.1 percent and is considered the 'roof of the Tour.'

"It's going to be an epic stage, especially considering it may be the toughest climb throughout the entire Tour."

"We are going up quite a bit, and the descent is also quite technical. So that's something to watch out for," he continued, discussing the challenges of stage seventeen. "If you don't have a good day on that monstrous stage, you will lose a significant amount of time. Lastly, I anticipate stage fifteen, with a finish on Mont Blanc, to be crucial as well. It will be another epic day," he added, emphasizing the significance of the stage.