Rodriguez reflects on Giro d'Italia near miss

Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) believed until the last moment, until the last kilometre in Milan yesterday that he had a chance to win the Giro d'Italia.

"To tell the truth, Valerio [Piva, team DS] was telling me it was my moment in the time trial. I risked it all. I pushed it, in every corner," Rodriguez said in a post-race press conference.

"I thought, maybe he was doing the same. Up until the last kilometre, I believed. We were talking seconds. I had a chance to win this race up until the last moment."

The Spaniard placed second overall, his best finish in a Grand Tour since he placed fourth in the Vuelta a España in 2010 and in the Giro d'Italia last year. In 2010, he also placed ninth in the Tour de France.

Rodriguez first took the pink jersey in Assisi midway in the race. He darted ahead on the steep slopes into the ancient city centre, seizing the stage win and a crucial 20-second time bonus.

Ahead of this race, the organiser decided not to award bonuses on the five crucial mountain stages in the Alps. In the Giureconsulti courtroom near the Piazza Duomo, Rodriguez looked over the classification sheet where he placed second by 16 seconds. Had he taken bonus seconds here and there, including the stage win in Cortina d'Ampezzo, he might have won.

"The bonuses are what they are. It's better not too think about it now, not to look back and second guess. We lost, you can't change that," Rodriguez explained.

"To think of some error now or where I might have made a mistake is useless. OK, maybe in the first week I could've tried to drop Ryder, maybe Ivan Basso would've used that to his advantage and won. The race took its shape. It went how it went and Ryder won. Maybe if something would've changed, I could've won, but also Thomas De Gendt could've won!"

De Gendt was the first Belgian to finish on a Grand Tour podium since 1995. You have to go back further, to 1978 with Johan De Muynck to find the last Giro winner.

"I don't think anyone here was thinking about him yesterday!" Hesjedal said, referring to De Gendt's ride up the Stelvio Pass. "I was scared of him when he was taking off in the valley. He forced this race, it put me in a hard situation. All the rivals knew it was my race to lose. They put the work on me and made me pull the time back. He added more stress to the situation."

Rodriguez also pushed Hesjedal. After 28.2 kilometres around Milan's centre, he finished only 47 seconds back. However, that was enough to lose him the Giro by 17 seconds.

"I have to keep trying," Rodriguez added. "I'll be back next year."

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Giro d'Italia 2012: Live coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 live text coverage and schedule

Giro d'Italai 2012 stage 13 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage 12 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage 10 live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage six live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012 stage four live text coverage

Giro d'Italia 2012: Stage reports

Stage 21: Hesjedal wins 2012 Giro d'Italia overall as Pinotti wins final time trial

Stage 20: De Gendt conquers Stelvio to win stage

Stage 19: Kreuziger bounces back with Giro stage win

Stage 18: Guardini beats Cavendish in final Giro sprint

Stage 17: Rodriguez wins stage to consolidate lead

Stage 16: Izagirre claims Basque breakaway victory

Stage 15: Rabottini takes tough win in Giro

Stage 14: Amador wins Giro's first high mountain stage as Hesjedal reclaims lead

Stage 13: Cavendish makes it three

Stage 12: Bak attacks to win

Stage 11: Ferrari wins Giro stage on ride to redemption

Stage 10: Rodriguez wins thrilling finale to take leadStage nine: Ventoso wins in Frosinone as Goss and Cavendish fall

Stage eight: Pozzovivo takes another Giro win

Stage seven: Hesjedal moves into Giro lead

Stage six: Rubiano solos to epic Giro stage win

Stage five: Cavendish bounces back for another stage win

Stage four: Garmin-Barracuda win TTT to take lead

Stage three: Goss wins in Horsens as Cavendish and Phinney crash

Stage two: Cavendish wins in Herning

Stage one: Phinney wins time trial

Giro d'Italia 2012: Photo galleries

Stage 21 photo gallery

Stage 20 photo gallery

Stage 19 photo gallery

Stage 18 photo gallery

Stage 17 photo gallery

Stage 16 photo gallery

Stage 15 photo gallery

Stage 14 photo gallery

Stage 13 photo gallery

Stage 12 photo gallery

Stage 11 photo gallery

Stage 10 photo gallery

Stage nine photo gallery

Stage eight photo gallery

Stage seven photo gallery

Stage six photo gallery

Stage five photo gallery

Stage four photo gallery

Stage three photo gallery

Stage two photo gallery

Stage one photo gallery

Giro d'Italia 2012: Blogs

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Conserving energy for the final week

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Holding on to the lead

Charly Wegelius' Giro blog: Getting the team time trial right

Giro moto blog: Hurray for rest day

Giro moto blog: Stage 10

Giro d'Italia 2012: Teams and riders

Giro d'Italia 2012 start list

Giro d'Italia 2012: TV guide

Giro d'Italia 2012: British Eurosport TV schedule

Related links

Giro d'Italia 2012: The Big Preview

Cycling Weekly's Giro d'Italia section