Giro d’Italia 2019: Richard Carapaz clinches surprise grand tour triumph on streets of Verona

Carapaz became the first rider from Ecuador to win the century-old Italian race after completing the 17km stage 21 time trial, which was won by Chad Haga

Team Movistar’s Richard Carapaz completed his surprise win of the 2019 Giro d’Italia, the first grand tour title of the 26-year-old’s career, with an X-placed finish in the closing individual time trial in Verona.

Carapaz finished fourth in the Giro last year but was not considered a serious contender coming into this race. However, while favourites Vincenzo Nibali and Primoz Roglic marked one another in the mountains, Carapaz made time and never let up. His Movistar team-mates backed him up with Mikel Landa, who came into the race as the team leader, providing a useful foil as he made his moves.

Carapaz became the first rider from Ecuador to win the century-old Italian race after completing the 17km stage 21 time trial, which was won by Chad Haga of Team Sunweb ahead of hour record holder Victor Campenaerts.

Nibali sealed second place overall, while the Slovenian Roglic – who just missed out on a podium finish at last year’s Tour de France – finished third after clawing back vital seconds from Landa on the time trial.

Carapaz becomes the first non-Briton to win a grand tour since the 2017 Giro, when Dutchman Tom Dumoulin triumphed.