Australian men's cycling is experiencing a historic moment at the Giro d'Italia, with four riders in the overall top ten for the first time. Chris Harper climbed into tenth place at the halfway mark after finishing fourth on stage 11 to Chiavari, alongside compatriots Ben O'Connor (fifth), Jai Hindley (sixth), and Michael Storer (seventh). Previously, Australia had never placed more than two riders in a men's grand tour top ten.
A Strong Australian Presence
Three-time grand tour winner Jonas Vingegaard sits 27 seconds behind leader Afonso Eulálio and is the rider to beat with ten stages remaining. While an Australian victory over Vingegaard seems unlikely, a podium finish is within reach for O'Connor, Storer, and 2022 winner Hindley.
Australia's affection for the Giro has revived after a post-Covid slump, with 14 riders last year and 12 this time. The four in the top ten are breaking new ground after sprinter Kaden Groves and Tour Down Under winner Jay Vine were forced to abandon due to injuries.
O'Connor Leads the Charge
The Western Australian trio are within 40 seconds of each other, with O'Connor best placed at 2 minutes 48 seconds behind Eulálio. The 30-year-old is 51 seconds behind third-placed Thymen Arensman, chasing a second grand tour podium after finishing runner-up in the 2024 Vuelta a España. O'Connor arrived with unconvincing results but has proven his ability to perform under the radar, having finished fourth at the 2024 Giro and fifth in his Tour de France debut in 2021.
Hindley and Storer in Contention
Former Giro winner Hindley faced doubts about his role within Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe alongside Giulio Pellizzari, but has looked stronger on the road, sitting 30 seconds ahead of the Italian. Hindley is 3 minutes 6 seconds behind Eulálio, remaining in contention for a podium. Both riders have suffered from illnesses but should appreciate the relatively flat stage 12 favoring sprinters.
Storer aims to improve on his tenth-place finishes in the past two Giros. The 29-year-old arrived at last year's race after winning the Tour of the Alps but wound back his preparation this year, finishing fourth behind Pellizzari. Storer knows what it takes to finish on a grand tour podium, having won the king of the mountains jersey at the 2021 Vuelta. He could become the second Australian after Matthew Lloyd (2010) to claim the maglia azzurra.
Harper's Breakthrough
Harper was part of a breakaway group on stage 11 but could not hold the wheel as Jhonatan Narváez and Enric Mas pulled away. However, he gained 3 minutes 13 seconds on the leaders to leap into the top ten. The 31-year-old is 4 minutes 9 seconds behind Eulálio, focusing on stage hunting rather than overall position.
The GC contenders will have some respite over the next two stages before the race heads into high mountains for a summit finish at Pila on Saturday. Vingegaard could take control of the maglia rosa, but the four Australians can continue flying the flag with hopes for a podium finish or even a grander prize if the path opens up.
