"Patron" Tadej Pogacar wins Giro d'Italia by almost 10 minutes

Tadej Pogacar won the 2024 Giro d'Italia with biggest victory margin since 1965, finishes almost 10 minutes clear of Dani Martinez. The Slovenian will now turn his attention to Tour de France, which begins on June 29th

Tadej Pogacar wrapped up overall victory at the Giro d'Italia as Tim Merlier won the 21st and final stage in in Rome.

Pogacar will now turn his attention to claiming a third Tour de France crown in July and becoming the first rider since Marco Pantani in 1998 to win both that event and the Giro in the same season.

He had stretched his advantage over Dani Martinez to just shy of 10 minutes when he won his sixth stage of this year's Giro on Saturday, with Briton Thomas finishing 10 minutes and 24 second back in third.

Pogacar had been in the lead since victory on stage two and won by the biggest overall margin since 1965.

"I am speechless, it's hard to describe this moment, it's amazing," said the 25-year-old.

"A lot of nice memories for sure, in a while I will see which one was the best moment but I think in general it was a really beautiful Giro."

Daniel Felipe Martinez finished the 2024 Giro d'Italia in an outstanding second place. It is the first Grand Tour podium of his career. It is only the second Grand Tour podium in the team history of BORA – hansgrohe after Jai Hindley's victory at the Giro d'Italia in 2022.

Geraint Thomas rolled in to secure third place overall as he becoming only the second rider in Giro history over the age of 38 to finish on the podium. Like Pogacar, Ineos Grenadiers star Thomas is focused on the Tour de France - which starts in Florence on June 29 - although his objective will be to help the likes of Tom Pidcock and Carlos Rodriguez.

Stage 21 Top 10

1  MERLIER Tim Soudal Quick-Step 2:51:50
2  MILAN Jonathan Lidl - Trek 0:00
3  GROVES Kaden Alpecin - Deceuninck 0:00
4  GAVIRIA Fernando Movistar Team 0:00
5  VAN DIJKE Tim Team Visma | Lease a Bike 0:00
6  ANIOLKOWSKI Stanislaw Cofidis 0:00
7  DAINESE Alberto Tudor Pro Cycling Team 0:00
8  LONARDI Giovanni Team Polti Kometa 0:00
9  EWAN Caleb Team Jayco AlUla 0:00
10  GRONDIN Donavan Arkéa - B&B Hotels 0:00

Final General Classification

1  POGACAR Tadej UAE Team Emirates 79:14:03
2  MARTÍNEZ Daniel Felipe BORA - hansgrohe 9:56
3  THOMAS Geraint INEOS Grenadiers 10:24
4  O'CONNOR Ben Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team 12:07
5  TIBERI Antonio Bahrain - Victorious 12:49
6  ARENSMAN Thymen INEOS Grenadiers 14:31
7  RUBIO Einer Movistar Team 15:52
8  HIRT Jan Soudal Quick-Step 18:05
9  BARDET Romain Team dsm-firmenich PostNL 20:32
10  STORER Michael Tudor Pro Cycling Team 21:11

Final KOM Classification 

1  POGACAR Tadej 270 UAE Team Emirates
2  PELLIZZARI Giulio 206 VF Group - Bardiani CSF - Faizanè
3  STEINHAUSER Georg 153 EF Education - EasyPost
4  QUINTANA Nairo 114 Movistar Team
5  ALAPHILIPPE Julian 101 Soudal Quick-Step

Final Points Classification

1  MILAN Jonathan 327 Lidl - Trek
2  GROVES Kaden 200 Alpecin - Deceuninck
3  MERLIER Tim 143 Soudal Quick-Step
4  ALAPHILIPPE Julian 132 Soudal Quick-Step
5  POGACAR Tadej 126 UAE Team Emirates