Tom Dumoulin makes history with Giro D’Italia victory
Tom Dumoulin won the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia in sensational style on Sunday to become the first Dutch winner of the three-week Italian race.
Dumoulin pulls out superb time trial finish
Sunweb team leader Dumoulin went into the final stage - a 29.3 km time trial from Monza race track to Milan's famous Duomo cathedral, 53 seconds behind overnight leader Nairo Quintana.
But the 26-year-old Dutchman, who led the race for nine stages before losing the pink jersey to Quintana in stage 19, secured his maiden grand tour victory after a second-place finish behind stage winner, compatriot and close friend Jos van Emden. Quintana, the 2014 champion who rides for the Movistar team, finished second overall at 31seconds behind with Italy's two-time champion Vincenzo Nibali finishing third at 40.
It means Quintana, a former two-time runner-up at the Tour de France, has failed in his bid to challenge for a rare Giro-Tour de France double. Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, who remained in contention for overall victory with a gutsy stage win on Saturday, disappointed in the race against the clock to finish fourth overall at 1 minute 17 seconds.
Dumoulin, who finished 17 seconds behind Van Emden, had to watch nervously as Quintana, wearing the pink jersey and the last to start, completed the final kilometres of his effort into Milan. But when the calculations showed the Colombian was set to fall short, he jumped for joy.
"It's crazy, I don't know what to say," Dumoulin said afterwards. "It's a dream! When I crossed the line people were telling me I'd won, but as I sat here, I was freaking out. It's incredible. I couldn't have imagined this, ever. I was strong, I was lucky and everything fell into the place on this Giro. Nairo had an amazing race today."
After the compliment to Quintana, the Colombian's Movistar team replied in kind on Twitter, saying: "Best man on the course won. On to the next adventure. VamosNairo."
Thanks to a Dutch one-two on the stage finish, Van Emden gave the Netherlands a double reason for celebration when he claimed his maiden grand tour stage win with a sensational ride into the Lombardy capital. "I'm so happy, so emotional," said Van Emden. 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."
No problem this time 😂 #Giro100 @tom_dumoulin pic.twitter.com/bj0wfPECOp — Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) 28 May 2017