Primoz Roglic became the first Slovenian winner of the Giro d’Italia when he retained the overall lead after Sunday’s 21st and final stage in Rome, a day after he ousted Geraint Thomas from the maglia rosa in a dramatic time trial.
Roglic seized the pink jersey with a powerful performance in Saturday’s penultimate stage and finished Sunday’s ceremonial 126-km flat route unscathed as Mark Cavendish won the stage in his final appearance at the Giro.
Primoz Roglic finished 14 seconds ahead of Thomas and 1min 15 seconds before Joao Almeida in the overall standings to add a first Giro title to his three Vuelta triumphs from 2019-21.
“It will stay for the rest of my life,” Roglic said. “I really enjoyed riding through the streets of Rome, but I still didn’t manage to realise what it means to win the Giro d’Italia.
“I tried to contain my emotions after what happened yesterday… Every win is special and I’m grateful to be able to get this one.”
In 2020, Roglic had lost the Tour de France title after giving up his lead and the overall race victory to compatriot Tadej Pogacar in a mountain time trial on the penultimate stage.
It appeared as if Roglic’s title hopes were evaporating again when he rode over a pothole around midway through Saturday’s brutal climb up Monte Lussari and his chain came off.
But Roglic, cheered on by thousands of fans from across the border to Slovenia, regrouped to take a 14-second overall advantage and made no mistake in the final stage, cruising through the Italian capital to expand his Grand Tour portfolio.
