Hesjedal first Canadian Giro d’Italia winner

Date: 30th May 2012

Photo Credit: Graham Watson

Garmin Barracuda’s Ryder Hesjedal created history as the first Canadian to win a grand tour after he time trialled to victory on the final stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday.

Going into the final stage 31-seconds behind overall leader Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha), Hesjedal had all but made up the deficit after the first time check and continued strongly to finish sixth overall and 47 seconds faster than Rodríguez – enough for a 16-second victory.

Belgium’s Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) rounded up the final classification podium which for the first time since 1995 didn’t feature an Italian rider.

The highest placed local rider was 2011 champion Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) in fourth at 2:05. Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) was fifth at 3:44.

Hesjedal’s victory was by far his biggest achievement to date, his previous palmares including a stage 12 win in the 2009 Vuelta España and sixth overall at the 2010 Tour de France.

An emotional Hesjedal was overwhelmed as he accepted the maglia rosa.

“For me this is an incredible experience, the joy is overpowering,” the 31-year-old said.

“I began to believe I could do it as the days went by when I saw that my legs were holding up well in the mountains.

“Even in my head I was calm and I remained serene.

“I saw that my rivals were beginning to respect me more and more – and in the end, I did it.

“This is the reward of a life of working, over the years, to achieve such a lofty objective.

“And it’s for that reason that I am so deeply happy.”

BMC Racing’s Marco Pinotti took out the final time trial in 33minutes 6seconds ahead of Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas and RadioShack – Nissan’s Jesse Sergent.

2012 Giro d’Italia – Stage Victors

Stage 1 – Herning to Herning – 8.7km time trial – Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing)
Stage 2 – Herning to Herning – 206km – Mark Cavendish (Team Sky)
Stage 3 – Horsens to Horsens – 190km – Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEDGE)
Stage 4 – Verona to Verona – 33.2km team time trial – Garmin-Barracuda
Stage 5 – Modena to Fano – 209km – Mark Cavendish (Team Sky)
Stage 6 – Urbino to Porto Sant’Elpidio – 210km – Miguel Rubiano Chavez (AGV)
Stage 7 – Recanati to Rocca di Cambio – 205km – Paolo Tiralongo (Astana)
Stage 8 – Sulmona to Lago Laceno – 229km – Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF Bardiani)
Stage 9 – San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone – 166km – Francisco Ventoso (Movistar)
Stage 10 – Civitavecchia to Assisi – 186km – Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha)
Stage 11 – Assisi to Montecatini Terme – 255km – Roberto Ferrari (AGV)
Stage 12 – Seravezza to Sestri Levante – 155km – Lars Bak (Lotto-Belisol)
Stage 13 – Savona to Carvere – 121km – Mark Cavendish (Team Sky)
Stage 14 – Cherasco to Cervinia – 206km - Andrey Amador (Movistar)
Stage 15 – Busto Arsizio to Lecco-Pian dei Resinelli – 169km - Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia)
Stage 16 – Limone sul Garda to Falzes-Pfalzen – 173km - Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
Stage 17 – Falzes-Pfalzen to Cortina d’Ampezzo – 186km – Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha)
Stage 18 – San Vito di Cadore to Vedelago – 149km – Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia)
Stage 19 – Treviso to Alpe di Pampeago – 198km - Roman Kreuzige (Astana)
Stage 20 – Caldes-Val di Sole to Passo dello Stelvio – 219km – Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM)
Stage 21 – Milan – 28.2km time trial – Marco Pinotti (BMC Racing)