'This was my most beautiful victory' - Giulio Ciccone overwhelmed by Giro d'Italia win

Giulio Ciccone suggested his stage 15 win at the Giro d’Italia on Sunday is the best moment of his career, highlighted in the raw emotion he displayed during his post-race celebrations.

The Italian spent two stages in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France in 2019 as he led the GC on the sixth and seven days. Ciccone had also picked up two stage victories at the Giro before yesterday, and also won the 2019 mountains classification at the Italian Grand Tour.

However, the 27-year-old regards his stage 15 win to Cogne yesterday as his career-best victory. Ciccone triumphed on the mountain-filled stage by over a minute from Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain-Victorious), after attacking with 18km to go.

Speaking after the race, Ciccone said: "This was my most beautiful victory.

“It leaves me with a better feeling both than the yellow jersey I wore in the Tour de France, and the successes I have achieved at the Giro, because it comes after two difficult seasons between falls, physical problems and Covid."

Indeed, Ciccone’s preparations for the 2020 Giro suffered after catching Covid a month before the race, while he crashed out of both the Vuelta a España and Giro last year, too. 

With that in mind, Ciccone’s assertion that this win tops everything else in his career so far is understandable. Securing Trek-Segafredo’s third-ever Giro stage win certainly proved his ability, something he is proud to have displayed after a difficult few years of racing.  

"I felt strong. I decided to attack alone 19km from the finish because it was the hardest part of the climb and I wasn't sure I would be able to break away from the others later.

"I felt like myself. I knew that the condition could come, it had to arrive on this stage. It was especially tough mentally, because when you struggle to win, believing in yourself is always difficult.

"I've been criticised by practically everyone lately. But inside me I knew how things were, what I could rely on and attach myself to: I just did what I know how to do."