Australian Jai Hindley has won the Giro d’Italia. During the final time trial in Verona, his leading position in the standings was no longer in danger. For the 26-year-old rider of Bora-Hansgrohe it is his first victory in a big round. The stage victory went to Italian time trial champion Matteo Sobrero, who was ahead of numbers two and three Thymen Arensman and Mathieu van der Poel.
Hindley won the pink leader’s jersey from Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz in the stage with finish on the Passo Fedaia on Saturday. On the final climb, Carapaz had to release, after which Hindley took almost a minute and a half on his biggest competitor. That time difference was more than enough during the final time trial: Hindley finished with a time of 23.55 minutes, seven seconds behind Carapaz, who recorded 23.48. Behind the duo, Mikel Landa finished in third place in the final standings.
The stage victory went to Sobrero, who completed the 17.4 kilometer stage in 22.24 minutes. With that, he rode most of the pack in more than a minute. Only Arensman (22.47) and Van der Poel (23.04) were able to follow somewhat.
Also read: Koen Bouwman, the ‘ordinary boy from the Achterhoek’, is the mountain king of the Giro
Mountains classification
The Dutchman Koen Bouwman finally seized the blue mountain jersey by finishing. The 28-year-old rider of Jumbo-Visma already secured his victory in the mountains classification on Friday, by collecting enough points in the stage he won to Santuario del Castelmonte. After Joop Zoetemelk (Vuelta, 1971), Steven Rooks and Gert-Jan Theunisse (Tour de France, 1988 and 1989), he is the fourth Dutchman to win the mountains classification in a big round.
Best sprinter in this Giro was the Frenchman Arnaud Démare, who won three stages. Spaniard Juan Pedro López won the white jersey for the youth classification, after riding around in the pink leader’s jersey for several days.