Race Analysis: Red Bull and Roglič must redistribute resources following Hindley's DNF 🇮🇹
The German squad could potentially use this loss to flip the pressure on UAE when it matters most
There’s no hiding it, losing Jai Hindley on stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia is a massive blow for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Primož Roglič.
The Australian was the second-best climber on the team, a former winner of the race, and a safe pair of hands when it came to sacrificing himself for the greater good. A perfect teammate.
As he sat on the pavement, dazed and confused, as the peloton raced on without him and towards Napoli, there was probably a moment when the Red Bull sports directors turned to each other in the team and let their silence fill the air. What was there to say? This is a significant blow to the team, which will have a massive impact on the race one way or another.
The immediate concern for the team will be Hindley’s health, of course, and by the time this newsletter reaches your inbox, we’ll likely have more information from the team’s press officer.
The team can take some solace from the fact that Hindley was able to hobble into the ambulance on his own, but this evening, there will be little time for reflection or the team to feel sorry for themselves. The Giro waits for no rider, and stage 7 will be the first test for Red Bull without Hindley’s services.
Luckily, the stage to Tagliacozzo is only a minor mountain excursion, with the real tests much further down the line in week three. However, tomorrow’s stage is also the first opportunity for the team to attempt to fill the void left by Hindley, and they must immediately start redistributing his workload. Roglic, after all, could be in pink within 24 hours - and that in itself is a situation that throws up more questions than answers in terms of the long-term lead of this Giro.
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The most significant responsibility will no doubt fall on Daniel Martínez. On paper, he’s a world-class climber, but he was ropey on stage 1 in Albania when the climbs arrived, and he’s not looked at his best for the first week of racing. In fact, other than his hit-out at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April, he’s not looked convincing through any of his 15 days of racing this year. Class is permanent, they say, and perhaps his form has been backloaded to accommodate the demanding nature of the final week at the Giro. Either way, the team have the option of either calling him into duty earlier in the race or asking the following string of riders to step up. It’ll take a collective effort no matter what.