ROME - Last Sunday, in the crowded streets of the Eternal City, the 106^th edition of the Tour of Italy, a gruelling multi-stage cycling race, ended. The participants had covered a total distance of 3.489,2 km. During the three weeks, they competed in 21 stages including two traditional time trials, three mountain stages in the Dolomites and one atypical time trial in the Alps.

 The event’s organisation had a taste for innovation and experiment. This year, the Giro would feature a brutal uphill time trial. Yet, there were worries that this time trial would be a logistical nightmare and the organisation doubted between modifying the stage or cancelling it altogether.

 The organization clearly had in mind an ideal scenario in which, after two time trials in the first week, Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, who is an outstanding time trial specialist, would lead the general classification with a large margin. In the mountains, his competitors would then have several opportunities to take time back. Finally, on the one-but-last day, an unusual time trial would be decisive.

 Among the challengers were British cyclists Tao Geoghegan Hart and Geraint Thomas, Russian climber Alexander Vlasov and Portuguese João Almeida who at 24 already finished 3^rd and 6^th in a Giro. But all experts agreed: Evenepoel’s main contender would be Slovene Primož Roglič.

 The tour, however, did not follow the ideal scenario. Already in the first week, several rides abandoned the tour after testing positive for COVID-19. Contrary to the last two editions, the organization this year did not impose a protocol. Among the participants who abandoned the race because of COVID-19 were two contenders: Vlasov and Evenepoel. The Giro organisation was utmost unpleased since Evenepoel was this Giro’s main attraction.

 Then the second week was plagued with bad weather and, consecutively, multiple crashes. Both Hart and Roglič crashed. Whereas Hart needed surgery, Roglič continued the race. One mountain stage even had to be shortened after protest from the cyclists’ syndicate. Giro organizer Mauro Vegni said his primary concern was bringing the race to Rome. Over 50 of the original 176 riders would not finish the race.

 The Giro seemed to have been decapitated. None of the three remaining overall contenders -Thomas, Almeida and Roglič- dared to launch an attack. They were saving their energy. Experts blamed the Giro design: three heavy stages followed by the ultimate time trial scheduled at the end of the last week were paralyzing the race.

 Saturday afternoon, the riders would finally settle the highly anticipated time trial. The organisation imposed specific rules. E.g. riders were not allowed to use a time trial bike on the climb: they either had to switch bikes in a designated area at the foot of the climb or use a normal bike throughout the entire stage. Mechanics would follow their riders sitting on a motorcycle, with a spare bike fastened on their back.

 Alberto Contador, one of the best grand tour riders in history, explored the track. According to him, the stage was “probably the hardest time trial of any Grand Tour ever.”

 The teams had to make several technical decisions, particularly regarding the gearing that would best suit the brutally steep Monte Lussari. Several teams opted for gearing typical of mountain bikes.

 The first riders started at full speed on the traditional, flat part. However, on the climb, they then lost significant time. The main battle, of course, would be between Primož Roglič and Geraint Thomas. Roglič would be the penultimate rider to ride this time trial; Thomas, the last.

 Primož Roglič was facing several challenges. Because Thomas, had a lead of 26 seconds in the general classification, Roglič would have to ride the stage more than 26 seconds faster than Thomas in order to win the Giro -not an easy task given that Thomas is a great time trialist.

 Since Roglič crashed badly last year, it seemed that his time trial skills were no longer what they used to be. But most of all, Roglič once lost a Tour de France because of an uphill time trial which was scheduled on the penultimate day. The "La Planche des Belles Filles" stage would turn out to be a dramatic experience that has haunted him ever since.

 Once both contenders had started, the stage became the "grand finale" the Giro organisation had hoped for. A true roller coaster!

 At the first measurement point, located at the junction of the flat part and the climb, Roglič clocked a new record time. When Thomas later crossed this point, he had lost two seconds to Roglič. Yet, as the earlier riders had shown, it was the climb that would be decisive.

 On the climb, a crowd of Slovenian spectators cheered. Roglič pedalled his small gear smoothly. His rhythm was like a clockwork. Thomas, who had opted for a larger gear, seemed to be struggling. He soon fell behind by eight seconds to Roglič. At the second measurement point, Thomas was already trailing by 16 seconds. With still 3,5 km to climb, his lead in the general classification had shrunk from 26 to 10 seconds. Roglič would surely win the stage and most likely the Giro.

 But then, "o fortuna!", when riding over a pothole, the chain of Roglič's bike dropped. Roglič had to stop and swap his bike for another one. This manoeuvre would take at least 10 seconds! The mechanical mishap had ruined the climax the organisation had envisioned and it seemed Thomas would win his first Giro. The memories of "La Planche des Belles Filles" came flooding back. Roglič, however, remained composed. He got off his bike, calmly put the chain back on, and jumped back on. In no time, he was pedalling his steady pace once again.

  Yet, the manoeuvre had cost him 16 seconds. He could still win the stage, but it seemed difficult to win the Giro.

 As the finish line approached, it became clear that Roglič's performance was outstanding. However, he still needed to be careful during the descent preceding the finish. Given his history as a daring former ski jumper, known for experiencing multiple crashes, this added an extra layer of excitement to the competition.

  Everything went well for Roglič this time! He flawlessly navigated the final stretch, completing the race in an impressive time of 44 minutes and 23 seconds.

 As Thomas descended towards the finish, it became evident that the Slovene would not only win the stage but also the Giro. Thomas knew it, and so did the numerous Slovene supporters who cheered and waved the Slovene flag. At the finish line, Thomas lost 40 seconds to Roglič. The latter would take the pink jersey and, on the last day of the Giro, hold a 14-second lead in the general classification.

 Sunday, following the tradition, the last stage was a procession through the streets of Rome. On the “Via dei Fori Imperiali,” British veteran Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory. It was Geraint Thomas who did the lead-out. During the tour, Cavendish, 38, had announced his retirement from cycling and Thomas had celebrated his 37^th birthday. Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, who will retire next year, won the King of Mountains (KOM) classification. The peloton’s elder riders had dominated this Giro. In an era in which very young cyclists, like Evenepoel, dispute races, even 33 year-old Roglič became considered to be over the hill. Perhaps the elder riders performed better in this hard Giro thanks to their experience?

 The 2023 Giro did offer strong duels. More than half of the early breakaways resulted in one of the breakaway riders seizing the stage victory. Though the mountains did not bring the fireworks to the general classification, there was fierce battle for the KOM classification. Also the Points classification was heavily disputed: seven stages concluded with a mass sprint. Last but not least, the Giro for a long time has been an Italian tour whose winners were mainly Italian riders. This year, the top 10 of the general classification features 10 different nationalities.

 When people reminisce about this Giro, one image will endure: Primož Roglič composedly fixing his bike's chain on a challenging climb of raw concrete, swiftly remounting and emerging triumphant in a demanding time trial that secured him the crown of the “Giro d'Italia.”

 md