Australian Jai Hindley wins stage 5 of the 2023 Tour de France
In Laruns, Australian Jai Hindley emerged victorious on stage five of the Tour de France, seizing the yellow jersey from Adam Yates. Meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard outpaced Tadej Pogacar, solidifying his position as the leading contender for the coveted yellow jersey in Paris. The Pyrenees provided an early test, reshuffling the general classification.
Last year’s Giro d’Italia champion, Hindley, showcased his potential as a strong contender with a remarkable breakaway triumph. However, the highlight of the day was defending champion Vingegaard distancing himself from two-time winner Pogacar during the final climb, positioning himself as the favorite for the yellow jersey.
Having distanced himself from fellow escapees on the demanding Col de Marie Blanque ascent, Hindley powered solo into Laruns, clinching victory with a comfortable 32-second lead. Vingegaard, on the other hand, finished within a four-rider group, securing second place on the stage.
After factoring in bonus seconds, Hindley now leads the overall standings by 47 seconds, followed closely by Vingegaard, with Giulio Ciccone in third place, trailing by 63 seconds.
Although making his Tour de France debut, Hindley’s seamless integration into the breakaway came as a surprise, considering his previous podium finishes at the Giro.
🏆 WHAT A STAGE! 🇦🇺 @JaiHindley takes the win and the Yellow Jersey in Laruns!
🏆 QUELLE ÉTAPE ! Victoire et @MaillotjauneLCL pour 🇦🇺 @JaiHindley à Laruns! #TDF2023 pic.twitter.com/L4xHjW1xtO
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 5, 2023
“I’m truly at a loss for words,” expressed the Bora-Hansgrohe rider. “I can’t believe it. I was quite taken aback to find myself among that group. I just blended in naturally. Initially, I was just having fun, and then I noticed there was no chasing group behind us, so I thought, ‘I guess we’re in for a real race.'”
“The gap started to widen, and I was just trying to gain an advantage over the general classification contenders, and then the stage victory became my focus,” Hindley added.
Pogacar, unable to respond when Vingegaard launched his attack on the Marie Blanque climb, conceded over a minute to his chief rival and slipped to sixth place overall, trailing the yellow jersey by one minute and 40 seconds. Adam Yates now occupies fifth place, while his twin brother Simon sits in seventh.
The first significant mountain battle of the Tour unfolded as a captivating tactical contest. Hindley seamlessly joined a formidable breakaway that formed amidst a frantic start to the 163km stage departing from Pau.
Despite the efforts of Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates, they were unable to close the gap and received no assistance from their competitors. As they ascended the demanding hors categorie Col de Soudet, the breakaway’s advantage ballooned to four minutes.
Hindley may have hoped for a more substantial lead, given the sizeable time gaps observed, but Vingegaard’s late surge allowed him to distance Pogacar and stay within striking distance of the yellow jersey.
