Gino Mäder completed an astonishing display at the recent Vuelta a España, after he pledged to donate money to charity for each rider he beat at the race.
The Swiss rider has confirmed he will be donating €4529 (£3889.69).
Mäder (Bahrain Victorious) finished a surprising fifth overall as well as taking the best young rider's jersey, which he took off Egan Bernal on the penultimate day of racing.
The 24-year-old asked his fans on Twitter to suggest charities that he should donate to, with the most liked tweet deciding the organisation that would benefit.
On the final day of the Vuelta, Mäder decided that he would pay €10 for every rider he beat in the general classification, as well as €1 for every rider he beat on each stage.
He Tweeted after the race saying: "The Vuelta is done and dusted, it was a great experience and a race I’ll remember for a long long time! After going through all the comments, I found that Just Diggit (opens in new tab) was the most liked comment!
"As said in my previous tweet I’ll add €10 for every rider in GC too! Donation of €4529 will be done today! Thanks to all of you who supported me throughout this Vuelta! Recover and up we go to the next!"
As said in my previous tweet I’ll add 10 Euros for every rider in GC too! (1370)Donation of 4529 Euros will be done today!Thanks to all of you who supported me throughout this Vuelta! Recover and up we go to the next! 😴September 7, 2021
The charity, Just Diggit is an Amsterdam-based organisation that aims to cool down the planet by restoring Africa's green spaces over the next 10 years.
It has already restored 60,000 hectares and Mäder's donation will likely go some way to help them continue their vital work to save the planet from climate change.
The charity replied to Mäder's Tweet thanking him: "That's amazing, Gino! Congratulations on this outstanding performance and thank you for supporting us and our mission to cool down the planet. Together we can make the earth green and cool again!"
That's amazing, Gino! Congratulations on this outstanding performance and thank you for supporting us and our mission to cool down the planet. Together we can make the earth green and cool again! 💚🌱September 7, 2021
Mäder has had an extremely successful season with Bahrain Victorious. Not only helping Jack Haig to a podium at the Vuelta and fifth overall himself, as well as the team classification, but he has also taken multiple top 10s and wins.
He burst onto the scene this season after he was pipped to a stage win by Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) in Paris-Nice. The Swiss climber put that behind him and pulled off a stage win at the Giro d'Italia as well as wearing the blue mountain's jersey before abandoning due to injury.
He also won the final stage of the Tour de Suisse where he out-sprinted Canadian star Michael Woods (Israel Start-Up Nation) from a late breakaway.
He is next due to race on Sunday, September 12 for his nation in the European Championships road race in the Trentino region of Italy.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Analysis: How Mathieu van der Poel won Milan-San Remo
After another exhilarating finish to Milan-San Remo, it’s time to look back at the day and the key tactical moments that defined it
-
Saved by a doping test: The pro rider treated for cancer after abnormal blood result
When his team doctor called about an abnormal test result, Torstein Træen could not believe what was happening – but it would turn out to be a potentially life-saving red flag
-
Matej Mohorič considering using a dropper seatpost for Strade Bianche
The Bahrain Victorious star won Milan-San Remo in 2022 with the help of a dropper post
-
Phil Bauhaus outsprints Caleb Ewan to win stage one of Tour Down Under
The German recovered from an earlier crash to beat Caleb Ewan and Michael Matthews in a bunch sprint
-
Wright on Fire: Fred Wright on his breakthrough year, almost winning, and Primož Roglič
The young Bahrain-Victorious rider is one of the hottest properties in the peloton. All he needs now is a victory.
-
'Once in a lifetime': Matej Mohorič on his stunning Milan-San Remo victory in 2022
The dropper post, the daredevil descending, and the Monument win
-
Tourmalet, Angliru, Covadonga: what we know so far about a 'spectacular' 2023 Vuelta a España route
"It will be a very mountainous and international Vuelta," according to race organisers, with a crucial final week including the fearsome Angliru
-
Matej Mohorič: ‘Fred Wright can win a monument... it’s just a question of time’
Milan-San Remo champion says that Wright has proved that he could win a monument in the future
-
Bahrain Victorious still in the dark over ongoing anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for team says that state-backed team ‘yet to receive any information regarding the investigation’
-
Europol ends Bahrain Victorious anti-doping investigation
Spokesperson for the European law enforcement agency says "operational phase of the coordinated action against the use of prohibited substances is over"
