Alessandro Verre
Second place at the end of stage 20 of the Giro, on the summit of Sestriere, is my first podium in the professional ranks. I was aiming for good places at the start of this Giro: top 5s, top 10s, but I never imagined I'd be in a position to play for victory, as I did today. I believed I could. It's beautiful and strong, even if there's a little feeling of sadness, because when you're a competitor, you always want to win, and that's normal. But the first was the strongest, nothing to say.
This Giro wasn't easy for me, after the start in Albania. I started well, but then I fell ill. And I went through some difficult times mentally. Today was the last stage on which I could do something. I used the last bit of strength I had left and I came 2nd after a long breakaway. The Colle delle Finestre is a legendary mountain pass. It was the first time I'd climbed it. The memory I had of this pass, which has a gravel summit, was the year Contador won this stage, in 2015 against Fabio Aru. I was a kid then, and I'd watched him on television. And he was having trouble riding over that pass. I'd like to thank the whole ARKEA-B&B HOTELS team for these three weeks at the Giro, riders and staff alike. We've had some great experiences. We've done some great things, but the Giro isn't over yet. There's still one more stage tomorrow, Sunday, and we're going to try to do the best we can with Luca Mozzato.
