Dream come true, Simoni
ByReuters
Published 02/06/2003 at 10:14 GMT
Italy's Gilberto Simoni claimed his second Giro d'Italia title on Sunday and said it was a "dream come true" after three hard weeks of racing. Simoni, who also won in 2001, finished seven minutes and six seconds ahead of compatriot Stefano Garzelli with
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Image credit: Eurosport
Simoni finished the 21st and final stage, an individual 33-km time trial, in 18th place behind winner Serhiy Honchar of the Ukraine, who clocked 38 minutes and four seconds.
"My team and I have been working on this victory since the day of the presentation in December. Finally winning is a dream come true," said Simoni, who rode the final stage of the race on a pink bike to match his leader's jersey.
"It's been 20 days hard racing for all the team but we never gave up. My team mates were my guardian angels and deserve this win as much as I do.
Simoni was forced to withdraw from last year's race after failing two separate drugs tests for cocaine.
He was later cleared of doping by the Italian Cycling Federation, who accepted his defence that the drug was present in some coca sweets his aunt had given him after a trip to South America.
"Winning the Giro is incredible. This success means so much to me. When I was two kilometres from the finish I realised I was going to ride into the Piazza Duomo in Milan as winner of the Giro," the 31-year-old Saeco rider said.
Simoni next plans to ride in July's Tour de France, where he will face four-times winner Lance Armstrong.
Garzelli, Giro winner in 2000, finished seventh in the final time trial ahead of Popovych to retain his second place overall by just five seconds.
"It was a hard Giro but I gave it everything today to stay in second place and I think I deserved it," said Garzelli, who was expelled from last year's race after a positive test for the banned diuretic probenecid.
"After coming back from a nine-month (doping) ban, finishing second is almost like winning for me."
Popovych went into the stage two seconds behind Garzelli in the overall standings, but after finishing three seconds slower than the Italian in the time trial remained upbeat.
"This Giro was still great for me," the Ukrainian said. "I heard Garzelli was gaining time in the final part of the time trial but there was nothing I could do.
"This is only my second Giro and so I've got time to climb up higher on the podium."
Simoni also won the Giro points competition. Colombia's Fredy Gonzalez Martinez won the green best climber's jersey and Lampre took the team competition.
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