Tao Geoghegan Hart wins the Giro d’Italia delivering Britain's 11th Grand Tour victory
Cyclist Tao Geoghegan Hart has become the fifth Briton to win a Grand Tour, securing victory in the Giro d’Italia.
The 25-year-old Londoner beat Australian Jai Hindley by 39 seconds in the 15.7-kilometre closing time trial in Milan.
Geoghegan Hart follows Sir Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates in winning one of the big three stage races on the calendar.
His win delivers Britain's 11th Grand Tour victory since Wiggins won the Tour de France in 2012, and second in the Giro after Froome in 2018.
An outstanding final week in the mountains propelled Geoghegan Hart up the standings.
His victory on Saturday’s stage 20 set up the unprecedented scenario of the top two in a Grand Tour being level on time at the start of the final day.
But Geoghegan Hart kept ahead of Hindley at every time check along the way - clocking a time of 18 minutes 19.40 seconds to deliver a remarkable win.
It's a turnaround for the athlete who was by far one of the most unexpected entries on the list.
Geoghegan Hart started the Giro planning to support Thomas before the Welshman’s race-ending crash on stage three.
"It’s bizarre, to be honest," said Geoghegan Hart.
"Not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that this would be possible when we started nearly a month ago in Sicily."
"All of my career I’ve dreamt of trying to be in the top five, top 10 maybe in a race of this stature so this is something completely and utterly different. I think this is going to take a long time to sink in."
It is unclear when or where Geoghegan Hart’s next Grand Tour opportunity might come from.
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” he said in Milan. “I’m just going to enjoy this. It’s incredible.
“I’m going to stay the same person, and be as professional as I believe I’ve always been, dedicated.
“I wake up every day looking forward to riding my bike, loving my life and being grateful to the honour and amazing privilege of being in this position,” he said.
As celebrations began back in Hackney, Geoghegan Hart also spoke of inspiring a new generation of young British riders.
A decade after following Wiggins around the capital, nobody could know better just how powerful that might be.