Jai Hindley tests positive for COVID-19 but still hope for World Championships

Giro d’Italia winner Jai Hindley was due to line up at the UCI Road World Championships in the elite men’s road race on Sunday September 25, however the Australian rider is stuck in Europe waiting to see if that will be possible after testing positive to COVID-19 on September 12.

The Australian squad is expected to revolve around Michael Matthews however Hindley, who tested positive after the Vuelta a España, was seen as a likely handy option for the climbs. 

“We’re in regular contact with Jai and his support team in Europe,” Australian Cycling Team Chief Medical Officer Dr Kevyn Hernandez said in a statement. “Jai's health is something we are monitoring daily with him and his professional team.”

The statement said the 26-year-old rider from Western Australia, who finished tenth overall at the Vuelta, was “largely asymptomatic.”

“Jai tested positive more than a week before the competition, but we will make a final decision on his participation closer to the event. As with all events, we have a plan B and plan C, something all sporting teams need to have these days.”

“At this stage, we’re hoping Jai will be able to leave Europe on Monday to join the rest of the team in Wollongong mid-week.”

The men’s elite course of the road race at the World Championships in Wollongong runs from the hamlet of Helensburgh near Sydney down the coast to Wollongong and then out for one loop of the Mount Keira circuit and 12 of the city circuit, which includes the Mount Pleasant climb. 

The 266.9km event packs in nearly 4,000m of climbing but the longest climb of Mount Keira is early in the race, and the repeating climb of Mount Pleasant is too short to play into the hands of  the climbing specialists like Hindley, leaving riders like Australia’s Matthews, Wout van Aert (Belgium), Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands) and two time title winner Julian Alaphilippe (France) to hold sway on the list of contenders.

Alongside Matthews and Hindley, the Australian squad will comprise of Simon Clarke, Luke Durbridge, Heinrich Haussler, Ben O’Connor, Luke Plapp and Nick Schultz.