Hesjedal first Canadian to win the Giro d’Italia

Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) hauled back the 31 seconds he trailed pink jersey wearer Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and then some to win the 95th Giro d’Italia. By doing so, Hesjedal brought home the greatest victory in Canadian pro cycling history and gave his team its biggest ever win. He became the first Canadian to win the Giro d’Italia, and the first North American to win it since American Andy Hampsten in 1988.

“It was an unreal experience from day one, what the team was able to do was incredible, I couldn’t have done it without them,” Hesjedal said after the time trial. “It’s unbelieveable. I knew I was good when I came to this race. I took every opportunity and thrived off my team support. The support from back home in Canada was unreal. I dug deeper every day and I want to thank everyone.”

Italian Marco Pinotti won the 28.2-kilometre time trial – shortened by two kilometres because of road conditions – with a time of 33:06 minutes, giving BMC bookend time trial victories after Taylor Phinney’s prologue win. The five-time Italian time trial champion, also won the final time trial of the 2008 Giro and wore pink in last year’s edition.

Hesjedal came sixth at 34:15 minutes to beat Rodriguez in the final GC by a mere 16 seconds, one of the smallest margins of victory in Giro history. Michele Scarponi, third place at the beginning of the day, found his podium spot usurped by yesterday’s hero Thomas De Gendt (Belgium/Vacansoleil).

Canadian Svein Tuft (Orica-GreenEdge) raced to a ninth place time of 34:28 to salvage something from a disappointing Giro in which he finished in the bottom 10 in GC.

Hesjedal’s astonishing accomplishment was also Canada’s its first podium appearance in a Grand Tour, Steve Bauer coming closest with fourth place in the 1988 Tour de France. Though his exertions in the Giro probably won’t make him a favourite for this year’s Tour – if he is selected by Garmin – he will be a favourite in future editions.

Hesjedal’s previous best Giro result was 60th in 2008. He came 6th and 18th in the 2010 and 2011 Tours de France respectively.

With Scarponi shifting down to fourth, it’s the first time since 1995 that there hasn’t been an Italian on the Giro final podium.

Stage 21 Top 3
1) Marco Pinotti (Italy/BMC) 33:06
2) Geraint Thomas (Great Britain/Sky) +0:39
3) Jesse Sargent (New Zealand/RadioShack-Nissan) +0:53

Final GC
1) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Barracuda) 91:39:02
2) Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) +0:16
3) Thomas De Gendt (Belgium/Vacansoleil) +1:39
4) Michele Scarponi (Italy/Lampre) +2:05
5) Ivan Basso (Italy/Liquigas) +3:44
6) Damiano Cunego (Italy/Lampre) +4:40
7) Rigoberto Uran Uran (Colombia/Sky) +5:57
8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy/Colnago) +6:28
9) Sergio Luis Henao (Colombia/Sky) +7:50
10) Mikel Nieve (Spain/Euskatel) +8:08

Jerseys:
Winner’s pink jersey: Hesjedal
Points red jersey: Rodriguez
King of Mountains blue jersey: Matteo Rabottini (Farenese Vini)
Young rider’s white jersey: Uran Uran