Olav Kooij won the final stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday. The Dutchman was the strongest in the mass sprint in Rome. The overall victory in the Italian cycling tour went to Simon Yates, the leader of Visma-Lease a Bike.
Kooij left Australian Kaden Groves and Italian Matteo Moschetti behind him in the final stage. The 23-year-old rider from Visma Lease-a Bike scored his second stage victory in this Giro, after he had previously won the twelfth stage.
Yates laid the foundation for the overall victory on Saturday in the queen stage. The Brit gained minutes on Isaac del Toro thanks to an attack on the Colle delle Finestre and took the pink jersey from the Mexican.
In the 143-kilometer final stage to Rome, Yates started with a lead of almost four minutes over Del Toro. His overall victory would normally no longer be in danger here, and that did not happen.
The 32-year-old Yates achieved his second overall victory in a major cycling tour. In 2018 he won the Vuelta a España. Three years later, the Brit finished third in the Giro, which was won by Egan Bernal.
In the final standings, Yates kept the only 21-year-old Del Toro, who had the pink jersey in his possession for a long time during this Giro, almost four minutes behind him. Richard Carapaz completed the podium.
In the final stage, after a blessing from Pope Leo XIV and a minute of silence for the deceased wife of Robert Gesink, the peloton first traveled a few kilometers through the streets of Vatican City. The riders drove through the mini-state to honor Pope Francis. He died in April at the age of 88 and was a loyal sports follower.
In the last 75 kilometers, the peloton rode on a circuit of 9.5 kilometers through the city center of Rome. A leading group of six riders appeared there, including the Italian Alessandro Verre and the Australian Michael Hepburn. The sextet rode ahead for a long time, but Josef Cerný was caught as the last fugitive at 5 kilometers.
A mass sprint had to bring the decision. Kooij was brought to the finish in style by his teammates from Visma Lease-a Bike and finished the job.
Kooij provided the fourth Dutch stage victory in this Giro. In addition to his two victories, Casper van Uden and Daan Hoole also won a stage.