Jai Hindley had hoped to be on the podium in his debut in the final week of the Tour de France, but a crash injury derailed that plan

Hindley suffered a back injury and hematoma at the beginning of stage 14 last week when he crashed at an estimated speed of 60 km/h.

The 27-year-old spent the five to six weeks before the Tour on the road with his coach, Bora-Hansgrohe's Hendrik Werner, with a particular emphasis on time trials.

Hindley held fifth overall against the clock, but lost time on the hilly 22.4 km course, finishing in 25th place. He was 4:37 behind stage winner Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo Visma). Vingegaard was over a minute ahead of title rival Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates).

Before the crash, the Perth climber was in third place overall. He won the fifth stage in the Pyrenees and took the maillot jaune for a day. He was eager to challenge the Alps and physically reconditions several stages.

Hindley admitted that he was in pain every time he got out of the saddle after his crash on stage 14, which Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers) won to catch him from third place overall. At the end of the three-round race in the Jura and Alps to close out the second stage, he could not even walk properly, according to team manager Ralf Denk, even though he was stuck in the yellow jersey group until the last few kilometers of the summit finish of Mont Blanc.

Pogacar's teammate Adam Yates moved into third place overall in Tuesday's time trial. Yates trailed Vingegaard by 8:52, Rodriguez by 8:57, and Hindley by 11:15.

The winner of the 2022 Giro d'Italia avoided talking to the media after the time trial in Combrue.

Enrico Gasparotto, Bora-Hansgrohe's sporting director, was told after the race that Hindley looked despondent and practically scoffed.

"Obviously he came to the Tour with an eye on the podium, and that crash didn't help him at all. [Today we got to see his face, but he is certainly not the happiest person today.

"The good thing about this situation is that there is a reason he was down in the standings. He hit the ground at 60 km/h when he weighed 61 kg, so it definitely affected his performance.

"Everything that is happening has to do with the crash."

Gasparotto, who worked with Hindley when he won the Giro last year, could not say what the team's plans were for the remaining five days and whether his leader would continue to defend his overall position given his injury.

"Before today, I said we would take it one day at a time. Tomorrow is the queen stage of the Tour de France, and we'll see what happens. But tomorrow is the queen stage of this Tour de France.