Giro d’Italia: Matteo Sobrero savors ‘unbelievable’ stage victory

This article originally appeared on Velo News

Matteo Sobrero (BikeExchange-Jayco) obliterated the field Sunday with a convincing win in the final day time-trial at the Giro d'Italia.

When he crossed the line, after about half the peloton had completed the effort, he set a time almost a minute faster than any of the previous riders. Ultimately, only two riders finished within a minute of his time.

"I'm really really happy with the team," Sobrero said after the stage. "We win the first day and the last day, the two TTs. We worked really hard in the winter with Giant...and this is the result."

Also read: Giro d'Italia stage 21: Jai Hindley crowned champion, Matteo Sobrero powers to TT stage win

The 17.4km course that circled Verona was split in half by the Torricella Massimiliana, a 4.5 kilometer climb at 4.6 percent.

"I put the finish line on the top of the Torricella and I said I would give everything until there and then on the descent I would have to give what is left," Sobrero said. "The descent was still a bit wet but it is unbelievable."

Sobrero began the Giro with the intention of supporting his GC leader Simon Yates who plummeted out of overall contention on stage 11 following a knee injury sustained a few days earlier. After this, his role in the race changed.

"I tried to go in the breakaway in the stage in Genova but I had no good feeling," the 25-year-old said. "Toward the end of the second week I was feeling better and I thought maybe I should go and try to get into the breakaway or maybe focus on the last TT. Instead, I decided to go for the last TT and I'm very happy that I managed to win such a prestigious stage."

This win marked Sobrero's second professional victory; his first was the Italian national time trial championships in which he beat world champion Filippo Ganna (Ineos-Grenadiers). For the last two years, Ganna has won the corresponding final time trial stages.

"I have a special relationship with Filippo and we exchange a lot of views but he didn't give me any special tips about how to win the final TT in the Giro," Sobrero said. "Of course, he has helped me a lot, but he hasn't given me any specific tips or suggestions for today."

Earlier in the Giro, Sobrero briefly wore the white jersey - held by the leader of the young riders' classification -- and this is suggestive of his future goals.

"My objective is to try and win something else, also road stages and not just the TT," Sobrero said. "I don't think that I'm a pure time trialist because I'm not really someone that can do a time trial when it's really flat but I can do something on days like today when there are small climbs. Maybe I can try to win some one-week stage races in the future."

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