Canada's Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro D'Italia this afternoon on a day when Geraint Thomas finished second on the final stage.
The final stage was a time trial in Milan which was cut to 28.2kms due to roadworks.
Radio Shack Nissan's Jesse Sergeant set the early time finishing in a time of 33.59, some 31 seconds faster than Team Sky's Ian Stannard, who finished eleventh and a minute and a half quicker than Mark Cavendish, who had lost his red points jersey yesterday when race leader Joaquin Rodriquez snatched fourth place to take the red jersey by a point.
Talking of Team Sky, there was a lot of expectation surrounding Geraint Thomas (pictured below) and the Welshman did not disappoint, riding superbly to come home in a time of 33.45, some 14 seconds quicker.
King Of The Mountains winner Rabottini came in well down on Thomas's time but out on the road, BMC's Marco Pinotti was going quicker at both of the time checks and he finished in the new fastest time of 33.06.
The final fifteen riders went off at two minute intervals. A minute and a half seperated race leader Joaquin Rodriquez, Ryder Hesjedal who was thirty one seconds back and last years winner following the removing of Alberto Contador's name from the record books, Michele Scarponi.
Rodriquez had lost 35 seconds to Hesjedal at the first intermediate check point. Hesjedal started to take risks and was fourth fastest at the second check point whilst Rodriquez was a minute and 27 back.
Thomas De Gendt came in at 34.07 which was enough to give him third place ahead of Scarponi.
This left the top two places to be decided with Pinotti having won the stage. First in was Ryder Hesjesdal and he finished in a time of 34.15 and then had to wait for Rodriquez to come home in a time of 35.02 and the Giro D'Italia was Garmin's Ryder Hesjedal for the first time and the first time a Canadian had won a Grand Tour.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM