2023 Giro d’Italia Stage 20 | Highlights?

They didn’t send us the highlights of this one, even though it was the best stage. Go figure. Guess they wanted it all for themselves. The perils of being a gung-ho cycling nonsense website that negotiates race rights for free. It’s probably on YouTube, if you’re avoiding paying one of the real broadcasters out there.

Report

Primoz Roglic, the cycling titan from Team Jumbo-Visma, kicked off his time trial with a casual vibe. But boy, did he unleash a whirlwind of greatness, clocking the fastest time ever recorded in time trials and claiming a sweet victory. This Slovenian powerhouse started the day 26 seconds behind, but he bulldozed his way up the climb like a boss, leaving everyone in awe. The crowd, a sea of Slovenian fanatics, erupted with thunderous cheers, backing their hero to the hilt.

However, a nerve-wracking moment had fans holding their breath when Roglic encountered a nasty shifting issue, hurling him off his two-wheeled companion. It seemed like a devastating blow to the dreams of this 33-year-old rider. But hold on tight, folks! Roglic, the epitome of resilience, refused to wallow in despair. He brushed off the setback, forged ahead with unyielding determination. And guess what? When he crossed that finish line, he left Thomas in the dust, a whopping forty seconds behind. Talk about a power move! This incredible feat earned Roglic the coveted pink leader’s jersey, with a fourteen-second edge.

“Right now, words escape me,” Roglic stuttered in disbelief after securing his eighth victory of the season. “This is what it’s all about, my friends. Giving up? Not in my vocabulary, not when there’s even a flicker of hope. Today proved that once again. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But today, we triumphed! My mission was to make the folks here and all my fans worldwide beam with pride. And hopefully, I managed to pull it off. I’m bursting with pride and joy, folks. We poured our hearts and souls into this battle, cherishing every meter. And to see it all come together in this breathtaking setting—it feels like home. I practically grew up a stone’s throw from here.”

Roglic confessed that amidst his mechanical mishaps, he remained unfazed. “Giving up? That thought didn’t even graze my mind, man. These are the curveballs cycling throws at you. I stayed calm, popped that chain back on, and unleashed all my fury towards the finish line. And you know what? It proved enough for this mind-blowing triumph. A whole lot went down on the road to this victory. But I never backed down, surrounded by the right folks, fighting as a unified force. Today, my legs possessed the strength to seal the deal. And the fans, oh boy, they were out of this world. This day, my friends, this day will forever be etched in my soul,” an emotional Roglic poured out.

“We toiled day in and day out for this very moment,” beamed sports director Marc Reef, overflowing with pride. “It was an absolutely mind-boggling ride—a wild rollercoaster of emotions. Primoz exuded confidence throughout the day. We didn’t have much intel on the intermediate times during his time trial, so the finish became a nail-biting affair. But man, we always believed in our abilities, even with fierce competition nipping at our heels. For Primoz to pull off this jaw-dropping triumph after facing countless setbacks—it’s mind-boggling, I tell you. Congratulations to the entire team. To witness this victory up close, surrounded by breathtaking vistas and a sea of fervent cycling fanatics, it’s simply extraordinary. The fans made the difference today. Their unwavering support propelled Primoz to make his wildest dreams a tangible reality.”

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