OFFICIAL: Jai Hindley ends four-year Tour Down Under absence in Australian homecoming for former Giro d'Italia winner
Cycling
Jai Hindley will return to the Tour Down Under for the first time since 2023, with the former Giro d'Italia champion confirmed for the opening WorldTour race of 2027 following his return to the Grand Tour podium earlier this year. The 30-year-old Australian is the first major name announced for January's race, with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe teammate Laurence Pithie also confirmed for the event.
Hindley enjoyed a resurgence at the 2026 Giro d'Italia, finishing third behind Jonas Vingegaard and Felix Gall despite an illness-hit second week that required treatment with antibiotics. He recovered to overhaul Thymen Arensman on the mountainous 19th stage to Alleghe, moving onto the podium before defending his position on the final mountain stage at Piancavallo.
It was Hindley's third Giro podium, having finished runner-up to Tao Geoghegan Hart in 2021 before claiming overall victory in 2022. He subsequently rode the Tour de France in support of Remco Evenepoel, finishing 15th overall himself as the Belgian secured second behind Tadej Pogacar.
With Evenepoel, Florian Lipowitz and Giulio Pellizzari also among Red Bull's general classification options, Hindley faces considerable competition for leadership opportunities in 2027. The Australian signed a contract extension in July, and his return to the Tour Down Under is now the first confirmed race on his programme for next season.
Felix Gall, Jonas Vingegaard and Jai Hindley on the final podium of the 2026 Giro d'Italia
Hindley returns to familiar roads with unfinished business
"I haven't raced the Tour Down Under since 2023, so I'm really looking forward to returning," Hindley said in the official announcement from race organisers. "It's a great way to kick off the season, racing in the Australian summer and on home roads in front of the Aussie fans."
The Perth-born rider made his Tour Down Under debut with the UniSA-Australia national selection in 2017, finishing 25th overall. He returned in 2019 and 2020, placing 18th on both occasions, before recording his best result of 16th in 2023. Despite his success in the Grand Tours, Hindley has never finished inside the top 15 at his home WorldTour race.
There will be opportunities to change that record in January, with the 2027 edition featuring the longest and toughest route in Tour Down Under history. The six-stage race covers 876 kilometres, with climbing challenges spread across the week rather than leaving the main general classification battle until Willunga Hill.
The opening stage from Henley Beach to Gumeracha on 19 January includes three ascents of Checker Hill, while Stage 3 features two passages over Mount Lofty and Corkscrew Road. Two ascents of Willunga Hill, including a summit finish on the penultimate day, precede the final stage through the Adelaide Hills to Stirling.
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Race director Stuart O'Grady believes Hindley's climbing ability could prove particularly valuable. "He holds a significant place in Australian cycling history as a Grand Tour winner, and at the age of 30 he remains in the prime of his career so we are getting to see the best of him," he said.
"The course suits his characteristics with his all-round ability complemented nicely by his ability to climb with the best in the peloton."
Pithie will make his fifth consecutive Tour Down Under appearance, giving Red Bull another rider familiar with Australian racing. The New Zealander finished third in both the prologue and the shortened Willunga stage at the 2026 edition, while the German team's remaining selections for January have yet to be announced.
The men's Tour Down Under runs from 19 to 24 January, with defending champion Jay Vine's participation still unconfirmed. The final three days will also see the men's and women's pelotons tackle identical routes and distances on the same dates for the first time at WorldTour level, including the Willunga Hill summit finish and the concluding stage into Stirling.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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