"We grew up racing each other in the junior ranks, so it’s special" - Sam Welsford reveals he asked Jai Hindley for advice prior to joining BORA - hansgrohe

Sam Welsford has made a blistering start to his career with BORA - hansgrohe at the 2024 Tour Down Under, sprinting to a pair of victories in his first three outings.

Although he was successful with Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL, a move was needed to take the next step in his career. There were a number of suitors too so what made BORA - hansgrohe the perfect fit for the 27-year-old Australian?

“I spoke to Jai Hindley, he said he really likes it here and enjoys the vibe and the culture. He said the team were super performance-driven, but also quite relaxed," Welsford recently explained in conversation with SBS Sport. “That’s something that’s super important to me. It’s cool to be on the same team as Jai, we grew up racing each other in the junior ranks, so it’s special.”

Having made such a positive start, confidence is understandably high for the remainder of the campaign. “I’m set on the Giro this year,” Welsford says of his targets. “It’s a really good opportunity for sprinters this year, and you look at the startlist, there are eight or nine sprinters going. The Tour leans towards the climbing-side, with non-linear sprints compared to the Giro, so it’s going to be pretty stacked there. For me to pick up a stage win there would be really nice for my development.”

After a disappointing Grand Tour debut at the 2023 Tour de France, Welsford is confident he make more of an impact at this year's Giro d'Italia. “That was tough,” he recalls of the Tour. “The start in the Basque country was tough, it was just full gas from the start for the first five stages. Day one was super tough, everyone wants the jersey and it was really hot."

“I was quite salty and I did cramp out of the grupetto and I was like ‘Oh no, how am I going to finish this bloody thing’. Every day your body is pushing its limit, so it was pretty common to get these sort of cramps, also if you don’t quite get your fuelling right, you pay for it.”

“It’s a whole other world, the Grand Tours, something I’ve really enjoyed. It’s all about maximising recovery, saving energy where you can, and really nailing those moments when you’ve got a sprint day or an opportunity for a result,” Welsford concludes.