Hesjedal wins 2012 Giro d'Italia overall, Pinotti wins final time trial

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage 21 photo gallery by Graham Watson>>

Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) won the 2012 Giro d'Italia on Sunday after overhauling former race leader Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) in the final time trial in Milan.

Hesjedal started the day 31 seconds adrift of Rodriguez after Saturday's stage to Passo dello Stelvio. Hesjedal recovered sufficiently overnight to make up the time deficit on Rodriguez and give Canada its first ever overall win in a Grand Tour - and the first for the Garmin team.

Rodriguez finished in second place overall just 16 seconds behind Hesjedal after losing 47 seconds to the Canadian in Milan.

Saturday's stage winner Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) put in another strong ride to come fifth on the stage and round out the podium in third overall at one minute and 39 seconds.

Italy failed to put a rider in the top three overall, with Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) in fourth and fifth overall respectively.

BMC bookends Giro with stage wins

It wasn't all bad news for the home nation - Marco Pinotti gave his BMC team its second stage win in the race, after American team-mate Taylor Phinney won the opening time trial. Phinney couldn't reproduce the same ride that saw him take the pink jersey in Denmark three weeks ago, finishing in 16th after he apparently took a diversion off the course.

Welshman Geraint Thomas (Sky) showed that three weeks of hard racing hadn't dulled his legs, repeating his second place from stage one at 39 seconds. New Zealander Jesse Sergent came third, 53 seconds adrift of Pinotti.

Brit Ian Stannard (Sky) finished just outside the stage top ten in 11th, one minute and 24 seconds behind Pinotti.

Rodriguez's consolation for losing out on the overall win was to take the points classification, beating triple stage winner Mark Cavendish (Sky) by just one point.

Colombian Rigoberto Uran (Sky) polished off a strong performance in the Giro, placing seventh overall and securing the white jersey of best young rider. Compatriot and Sky team-mate Sergio Henao finished ninth overall. Two to watch in future Grand Tours.

Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini) finished atop the mountains classification.

Results

Giro d'Italia 2012, stage 21: Milan to Milan, 28km ITT

1. Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing in 33-06

2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky at 39 secs

3. Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadoShack-Nissan at 53 secs

4. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin-Barracuda at 1-00

5. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM at 1-01

6. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda at 1-09

7. Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM at 1-14

8. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale at 1-15

9. Svein Tuft (Can) Orica-GreenEdge at 1-22

10. Julien Vermote (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 1-23

Other

11. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 1-24

26. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 1-56

55. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky at 2-46

Final overall classification

1. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Barracuda in 91-39-02

2. Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Katusha at 16 secs

3. Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM at 1-39

4. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 2-05

5. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale at 3-44

6. Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-ISD at 4-40

7. Rigoberto Uran (Col) Sky at 5-57

8. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago-CSF Inox at 6-28

9. Luis Henao (Col) Sky at 7-50

10. Mikel Nieve (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 8-08

Other

80. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky at 2-59-32

132. Ian Stannard (GBr) Sky at 4-20-11

145. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky at 4-46-19

Geraint Thomas, second on the stage

Svein Tuft

Stage winner Marco Pinotti

Joaquin Rodriguez

Ryder Hesjedal, overall winner

Ryder Hesjedal wins (centre), Joaquin Rodriguez second (left) and Thomas De Gendt third (right)

Giro d'Italia 2012: Latest news

Cavendish misses out on Giro red jersey by one point

Giro welcomes prospect of Canadian winner

Sky birthday boys put party on hold

Phinney aiming for Giro final time trial win

Hesjedal edges closer to being first Canadian Giro winner

Eisel rues missed sprint chances at Giro

Still an 'opportunity' for Uran to win Giro

Guardini speechless after win against Cavendish

Kennaugh withdraws from Giro, next stop Olympics

Giro's Stelvio stage may be shortened due to weather

Izagirre wins on Grand Tour debut

Cavendish silences Cipollini

Sky tightens grip on white jersey

Rodriguez versus Hesjedal in Giro title fight

Cavendish's Sky lead-out still on learning curve

Orica-GreenEdge to strengthen sprint train in Tour de France

Schleck struggles on with dislocated shoulder

Rodriguez up against more experienced rivals in Giro

Bak from worker to winner at the Giro

Giro d'Italia 2012: Live coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 live text coverage and schedule

Giro d'Italai 2012 stage 13 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage 12 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage 10 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage six live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage four live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012: Stage reports

Stage 20: De Gendt conquers Stelvio to win stage

Stage 19: Kreuziger bounces back with Giro stage win

Stage 18: Guardini beats Cavendish in final Giro sprint

Stage 17: Rodriguez wins stage to consolidate lead

Stage 16: Izagirre claims Basque breakaway victory

Stage 15: Rabottini takes tough win in Giro

Stage 14: Amador wins Giro's first high mountain stage as Hesjedal reclaims lead

Stage 13: Cavendish makes it three

Stage 12: Bak attacks to win

Stage 11: Ferrari wins Giro stage on ride to redemption

Stage 10: Rodriguez wins thrilling finale to take leadStage nine: Ventoso wins in Frosinone as Goss and Cavendish fall

Stage eight: Pozzovivo takes another Giro win

Stage seven: Hesjedal moves into Giro lead

Stage six: Rubiano solos to epic Giro stage win

Stage five: Cavendish bounces back for another stage win

Stage four: Garmin-Barracuda win TTT to take lead

Stage three: Goss wins in Horsens as Cavendish and Phinney crash

Stage two: Cavendish wins in Herning

Stage one: Phinney wins time trial

Giro d'Italia 2012: Photo galleries

Stage 20 photo gallery

Stage 19 photo gallery

Stage 18 photo gallery

Stage 17 photo gallery

Stage 16 photo gallery

Stage 15 photo gallery

Stage 14 photo gallery

Stage 13 photo gallery

Stage 12 photo gallery

Stage 11 photo gallery

Stage 10 photo gallery

Stage nine photo gallery

Stage eight photo gallery

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Giro d'Italia 2012: Blogs

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Conserving energy for the final week

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Holding on to the lead

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Getting the team time trial right

Giro moto blog: Hurray for rest day

Giro moto blog: Stage 10

Giro d'Italia 2012: Teams and riders

Giro d'Italia 2012 start list

Giro d'Italia 2012: TV guide

Giro d'Italia 2012: British Eurosport TV schedule

Related links

Giro d'Italia 2012: The Big Preview

Cycling Weekly's Giro d'Italia section