Nat Bromhead
Aussie powerhouse Kaden Groves has won his maiden Giro d’Italia stage, the 24yo savouring victory at the end of a wet and slippery day in Italy.
The win was particularly fitting for Groves who now has enjoyed three podiums in the first Grand Tour of the year.
The Stage 5 finale was marred by a late crash with several riders including Mark Cavendish coming down just meters from the line.
“I surprised myself today,” said Groves, who has finished 3rd in two stages of this year’s Giro, and has previously won a stage of La Vuelta. “Everything was going well but then I crashed at the roundabout with 7 kilometres to go,” he continued.
“It’s a dream to win, this is a race I’ve been focusing on since November or December … After two third places this week, the team helped deliver me the win.”
“I put my chain back on fast enough and the group came back together. The guys did a good job earlier and then luckily I was good enough to be in position and had the legs to lead out and win.”
Cavendish Down But Not Out
Mark Cavendish went down heavily and came close to sliding across the finish line.
“My knee is a little sore but don’t think anything is broken …I don’t have the pain of anything broken,” Cavendish later said. “I kicked for the sprint, the back wheel was on the white line – and when I kick it slides the wheel,” he added
“I just hope everybody else who crashed is OK too. I saw some stretchers, but we try again and congratulations to Kaden.”
