Can Jai Hindley do a Grand Tour double at La Vuelta?

Australian Hindley named for start of the Vuelta a España, and aims to add it to his Giro d'Italia triumph this season

Australian cyclist Jai Hindley (Bora–Hansgrohe) will have a shot at creating history when he lines up in the final Grand Tour of the year, the Vuelta a España.

Hindley became the first Australian to win the Giro last May in what was just his fifth Grand Tour start,  no Australian has ever won the Vuelta a España, with Cadel Evans and Jack Haig's third places the best by any Australian.

This year's Vuelta starts with a team time trial in Utrecht in the Netherlands. 

Only 10 riders have ever won two Grand Tours in a single season, with the Giro-Vuelta double the equal-most elusive feat.

Only three riders have ever claimed the Giro-Vuelta double in a single season: Eddie Merckx (1973), Giovanni Battaglin (1981) and Alberto Contador (2008).

But that's what 26-year-old Hindley will be aiming for after he was named as part of a strong Bora-Hansgrohe team that will line up for the race-opening team time trial in the Dutch city of Utrecht.

Hindley had two months off after his Giro victory but recently finished seventh overall at the recent five-stage Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos.

"The main goal is to be good for La Vuelta, and we still have a bit of time before that, so it's all good," Hindley told the Bora-Hansgrohe team after the race.

"After such a long time off from racing and then coming off the back of a hard altitude camp, it's nice to be back at the pointy end of a race.

"I think Wilco [Kelderman] and Emu [Emanuel Buchmann] are similar and, hopefully, we will hit peak form at the right time."

Jai Hindley's conquering of the Giro d'Italia is a story of redemption after last year's abandonment.

Three-time reigning champion Primož Roglic is expected to line up for Jumbo Visma, despite crashing out of the Tour de France with a shoulder injury. If Roglic does start, he will be looking to become the first man to win four-consecutive Vuelta titles.

Another Australian Jack Haig is a favorite for overall victory, and is expected to be named on the start sheet for Bahrain Victorious after a surprise third place overall in last year's Vuelta.

The Vuelta gets underway with a 23.3km team time trial on Friday, September 19, opening three days of racing in the Netherlands before the race heads south to Spain.

That race will cover 3,280 km over 21 stages, with nine uphill finishes.