Australian cyclist Jai Hindley thrust himself into Tour de France contention after winning stage five of the 2023 event.
He lost the coveted yellow jersey by the following stage but still remains hot on the heels of reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard and two-time winner Tadej Pogačar.
The 27-year-old - on his Le Tour debut - is now arguably Australia's best chance to win the coveted race since Cadel Evans claimed the nation's only title in the event in 2011.
The Sporting News looks at the progression and rise of Hindley to becoming a contender in the world's premier cycling tour.
MORE: Australians at Tour de France 2023: Results, riders, teams
Who is Jai Hindley?
Hindley became only the second Australian to win a cycling Grand Tour event when he claimed the Giro d'Italia in 2022.
The Western Australia native was third-favourite to win Tour de France 2023 before it started, behind recent champions Jonas Vingegaard (2022) and Tadej Pogačar (2020, 2021).
After turning professional in 2016, Hindley has been building to ride in the Tour de France over the last seven years, with a plan to enter contender when he was ready.
While achieving two professional tour wins at Toscana-Terra di Ciclismo and Tour of Fuzhou in 2017, it took Hindley until 2020 to start to realise his potential with a victory in Australia's Herald Sun Tour and a shock second-placing at the 2020 Giro d'Italia.
Despite a lean COVID-affected 2021, Hindley's development continued and he managed to win the Giro d'Italia the following year, becoming the second Aussie to win a Grand Tour after Cadel Evans' 2011 Tour de France triumph.
With a Grand Tour taking a toll on the body, Hindley decided not to make his debut at Tour de France in 2022 but focus on getting prepared for 2023.
This year, Hindley - racing with team Bora-Hansgrohe - earned third favouritsm at Tour de France 2023 by finishing fourth at the Criterium du Dauphine and eighth in the Volta a Catalunya.
MORE: How to watch Tour de France 2023 in Australia: Date, time, TV channel, live stream
Jai Hindley's performance at Tour de France 2023
This year's Tour is still panning out to be a two-horse race between Vingegaard and Pogačar, but Bora Hansgrohe team leader Hindley is in contention following his early performances.
Notably, he became just the first Australian to lead the Tour de France since Rohan Dennis in 2015 and the eighth in history.
🇦🇺 The moment Jai Hindley stood atop the Tour de France podium for the first time! 🇦🇺
— SBS Sport (@SBSSportau) July 5, 2023
An Aussie in yellow. Let that sink in.#TDF2023 #sbstdf #couchpeloton pic.twitter.com/fUvllg2CB8
Hindley currently sits in third place in the general classification, 94 seconds behind new leader Vingegaard.
Whilst he entered the sixth stage wearing the yellow jersey, he lost time during the challenging Col du Tourmalet climb.
Can Jai Hindley win the Tour de France?
The Australian can still win this year's Tour de France but he is priced well behind former champions Vingegaard and Pogacar in betting markets.
As it's his debut in the event, and with the quality of cyclists surrounding him, it's going to be a true test of Hindley's ability throughout the remaining 14 stages of Le Tour.
Hindley had a major target on his back after picking up the yellow jersey and was quickly hunted down by both Vingegaard and Pogacar.
It will be tough, but the Australian still has a chance to be the second from his nation to win the Tour de France on the Champs-Elysees on July 23.
Australian entrants at Tour de France 2023
Results after stage seven
After winning the fifth stage, Australian rider Jai Hindley lost the yellow jersey just one day later.
Reigning champion Jonas Vingegaard has taken the lead in the general classification, although Hindley remains the top-ranked Aussie.
3rd: Jai Hindley (+ 00h 01' 34") (BORA - hansgrohe)
12th: Ben O'Connor (+ 00h 06' 10") (AG2r Citroen Team)
28th: Chris Harper (+ 00h 17' 50") (Team Jayco AlUla)
37th: Jack Haig (+ 00h 30' 21") (Bahrain - Victorious)
45th: Chris Hamilton (+ 00h 41' 26") (Team DSM-Firmenich)
48th: Matthew Dinham (+ 00h 41' 40") (Team DSM-Firmenich)
59th: Nick Schultz (+ 04h 49' 15") (Israel - Premier Tech)
104th: Simon Clarke (+ 01h 16' 50") (Israel - Premier Tech)
146th: Sam Welsford (+ 01h 34' 03") (Team DSM-Firmenich)
147th: Caleb Ewan (+ 01h 34' 07") (Lotto Dstny)
154th: Alex Edmonson (+ 01h 35' 41") (Team DSM-Firmenich)
161st: Luke Durbridge (+ 01h 39' 00") (Team Jayco AlUla)
