Giro d’Italia: Dumoulin TTs into History

Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) became the first Dutchman to win the Giro d’Italia with second place in the final time trial where he came from 4th overall to beat the climbers to the GC Victory

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Giro d’Italia: Dumoulin TTs into History

The Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) won the 100th Giro d’Italia after his second place in the final time trial. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida) finished second and third overall.

The final ITT Stage 21, from Monza (Autodromo Nazionale) to Milan of 29.3km, was won by Jos Van Emden (Team Lotto NL – Jumbo). Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) and Manuel Quinziato (BMC Racing Team) finished second and third.

With Dumoulin coming into the stage in fourth place behind Pink jersey holder Quintana, it was the third time, the Maglia Rosa has changed hands on the last stage after Francesco Moser dethroned Laurent Fignon in 1984 and Ryder Hesjedal overturned Joaquim Rodriguez in 2012.

The top three was also the second tightest podium ever: just 40 seconds between the winner and the rider who in third. In 1974, the final result was: Eddy Merckx winning from Gianbattista Baronchelli at 12 seconds and Felice Gimondi third at 33 seconds.

For the Shark, Vincenzo Nibali, his third place was his fifth Giro podium in seven years with two victories (2013, 2016), one second place (2011) and two third places (2010, 2017).

Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb): “It’s really crazy, I cannot describe it with words. It was such a nerve-racking day but I did it, I had good legs. I spoke to my sports director – he said ‘Only if we’re sure I’ll tell you not to take risks in the corners’. He said it at halfway already. I was like – this is early to say something like that. Then I crossed the line and they were saying you’ve won it – but then I sat here in front of the TV and it was only like three seconds. I was really angry but I eventually pulled it off. It’s incredible.”

“When I crossed the finish line, everyone congratulated me. I was celebrating my victory but in the tent, I saw there were only three seconds difference between Nairo Quintana and myself. I became angry with everyone who congratulated me. I was super nervous. I’ve had the most nervous moments of my whole life.”

“You’re never sure of winning, you always doubt. I think everybody does. I wasn’t really nervous at breakfast. I was happy with my night before this time trial considering the stress. The recce was good, I had a mattress to relax on at the back of the bus. At lunch I was nervous, my metabolism was really high in the bus. But I could always stay focused. I’ve done a lot of TTs under pressure before. That experience paid a lot today.”

“I’m not the first TT rider who can do well in the mountains. Miguel Indurain is five steps ahead of me. There are guys like Bradley Wiggins, but I don’t want to compare myself to anyone. It’s just an amazing day. I’m really happy. I was never a bad climber. I always had that in me. I never trained in the hills really when I was young. There are no long climbs around Maastricht. But now I do more training camps in the mountains, in Tenerife and Sierra Nevada. I’ve also made a switch mentally. I suffer more now. I didn’t lose much weight, I’m maybe two kilos lighter than I was three years ago.

Jos van Emden (above), Team LottoNL-Jumbo – “I’m so happy and so emotional. I was too many times second – and this is a great day for Dutch cycling. Tom wins, I win – finally! There are two really happy people inside this tent. I’m the happiest man in Milan. I’m so happy because there were so many times that I was second and I always lost to someone in the GC. The tension waiting in the hotseat … and now finally I can shout it out.”

“First I saw I was two seconds faster and then six seconds faster. My second part was really fast but then I saw him coming through the final part and the clock was ticking. I couldn’t watch it any more, I was shouting. So many emotions, winning a stage in a Grand Tour.”

Thibaut Pinot, FDJ: “I’d have loved to be been on the podium but there were stronger opponents out there, so I have no complaints. The tension around this final stage was tough. I knew I needed to go fast. I felt like I wasn’t really strong over the course today. Overall with this Giro d’Italia I’m happy. I wanted to finish high up the standings and get a stage win, and that’s what happened.”

Adam Yates (Orica GreenEdge): Tour de France best young rider Adam Yates fought hard in the final 30km race against the clock, finishing in a time of 35’36”. The performance was enough to keep a top-10 position overall but not enough to hold onto the white jersey. Yates showed his resilience to fight on for an overall result despite being taken out in a motorbike accident on stage nine that cost him several minutes.

Photo: Tim deWaele

“In general it’s been a good experience for the whole three weeks,” Yates concluded. “We had a bit of bad luck in the beginning and if it wasn’t for that maybe things would have been different but we gave 100% every day and that’s all you can do. We came out with a top ten in the general classification, which was one of two objectives for me, so I’m not completely disappointed about losing white.”

“It was the first time we have started a Grand Tour with the aim of riding for the general classification, we really only switched to that half way through the Tour de France last year. Having guys work day-in and day-out for me is not something I am used to, I haven’t had it all my career, but they have done a great job these few weeks and I am sure as a team we will continue to do a good job in the future.”

Nairo Quintana (Movistar): “A podium finish is not something to be disappointed about. We’re not machines, we can’t do everything we want as we want before a race. Sometimes, you don’t get the prize you want, even when you work hard to accomplish your goals. More in contrary: we’re happy, satisfied about this result. The best thing in this Giro was the great teamwork – I have no words to describe how grateful I am towards the whole Movistar Team. We could have done it better, maybe worse, but we’re on the podium and that’s what counts right now. Dumoulin didn’t look like the main rival for us before the race, yet he bested everyone with excellent TT and mountain performance. He really deserves this victory.”
… continued after advert

2016_ShuttVeloRapideAdvert

We continue to grow, to gain experience. Today’s TT is a big experience, really. There were also mountain stages where I could have done better, but the legs just felt like they did. I went through nsome illness at a few stages into the final week, days where I could just manage to stay with the GC group. Still, we knew before today’s TT that we needed a bigger advantage heading into the final TT. 70km of time trials are too many when you’ve got to defend yourself against riders like Tom. I think we did a nice job at those, though.

“This Giro makes me feel even more confident about my consistency on Grand Tours. If you prepare well, you’ll be up there with the best guys in the race – that’s a huge boost of morale. We’re willing to continue working hard after this, and several things are looking good before the Tour – my legs seem to be doing well. Also, there will be many details to correct, things to polish. The Giro has been a huge test whose results we’ll have to analyze from now. I want to thank all fans, especially those in Colombia, for their support and messages. We left everything on the road, and I hope we made them proud about our efforts.”

Result Stage 21
1. Jos van Emden, Team LottoNL-Jumbo
2. Tom Dumoulin, Team Sunweb @ 15
3. Manuel Quinziato, BMC Racing Team @:27
4. Vasil Kiryienka, Team Sky @:31
5. Joey Rosskopf, BMC Racing Team :35
6. Jan Bárta, Bora – Hansgrohe @:39
7. Georg Preidler, Team Sunweb @:51
8. Bob Jungels, Quick-Step Floors @ 54
9. Jan Tratnik CCC Sprandi Polkowice @0:57
10. Andrey Amador, Movistar Team 1:02

11. Marcin Bialoblocki, CCC Sprandi Polkowice 1:04
13. Vincenzo Nibali, Bahrain Merida Pro Cycling Team 1:09
27. Nairo Quintana, Movistar Team 1:39
28. Thibaut Pinot FDJ 1:42
51. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott 2:28
157. CarthyHughCannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team 5:40

FINAL OVERALL
1. Tom Dumoulin, Team Sunweb 90:34:54
2. Nairo Quintana, Movistar Team 0:31
3. Vincenzo Nibali, Bahrain Merida :40
4. Thibaut Pinot FDJ 1:17
5. Ilnur Zakarin, Team Katusha – Alpecin 1:56
6. Domenico Pozzovivo AG2R La Mondiale 3:11
7. Bauke Mollema Trek – Segafredo 03:41
8. Bob Jungels Quick-Step Floors 7:04
9. Adam Yates ORICA-Scott 8:10
10. Davide Formolo Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team 15:17

92.Hugh Carthy Cannondale-Drapac @ 3:46:09

AlpsCyclesMidstory

 

Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Cero

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: , ,