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Richard Carapaz wins Giro d'Italia to become first Ecuadorian champion

Team Movistar rider Ecuador's Richard Carapaz celebrates with the pink jersey of overall leader
Image: Richard Carapaz celebrates after a surprise win in Italy

Richard Carapaz became the first Ecuadorian winner of the Giro d'Italia after safely negotiating the final individual time trial around Verona.

The 26-year-old Movistar rider held on to the pink jersey he first claimed after stage 14 a week ago.

Carapaz finished the 21st and final stage some 40 seconds behind stage winner Chad Haga (Sunweb) - but he had plenty of time to play with as he crossed the line.

Richard Carapaz mastered the conditions during stage 16 to maintain the overall race lead of the Giro d'Italia
Image: Carapaz is victorious in the 102nd edition of the Giro d'Italia

"This is the biggest moment of my sporting life," Carapaz said.

"In this final time trial I just suffered from start to finish until I reached the arena of Verona. It's fabulous to win the Giro d'Italia."

Italian Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) held on to second place in the final standings, while Carapaz's team-mate Mikel Landa fell short of the time set by Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) and dropped to fourth behind the Slovenian.

Belgian duo Victor Campenaerts and Thomas De Gendt finished the last stage in second and third behind American Haga, who completed the 17km time trial in 22mins 7secs.

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Britain's Simon Yates clocked 23mins 7secs to hold on to his place in the top 10, finishing eighth overall.

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