Giro di Sicilia: Vincenzo Nibali snatches overall victory with solo attack

Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo) broke down in tears after winning the final stage of the Giro di Sicilia and snatching overall victory from Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

The 36-year-old from Messina attacked on the key climb of the stage on the slopes of Mount Etna with 22km to go and never looked back. 

He cracked chaser Romain Bardet (Team DSM) and Valverde was unable to stop the gap opening to 40 seconds at the summit of the Sciara di Scorciavacca climb. Nibali knew every corner of the fast descent to the finish and extended his lead to 49 seconds. 

He waved to the crowds as he reached the finish and broke into tears as he realised he had won his home race, close to his hometown of Messina, and won his first race for Trek-Segafredo after over two years without a victory. It was also his first professional victory in Sicily.

Simone Ravanelli (Androni Giocattoli) won the sprint for second, with Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) third. Nibali won the overall classification by 46 seconds, beating Valverde, with Covi third overall at 49 seconds. 

The 180km stage saw Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation) go on the attack with a small group after a puncture cost him time on stage 3. They opened a 1:30 gap on the peloton on the Portella Mandrazzi climb on the slopes of Etna but were pulled back and the race came back together before the final climb. 

Nibali attacked alone and seemed unable to get more than a hundred metres on his rivals but then he accelerated again and Valverde - still recovering after fracturing his collarbone at the Vuelta a Espana - was unable to bring him back. 

Nibali dived down to the finish, unable to hold back the emotions of winning at home.   

“I cracked emotionally because this is my first win in Sicily. I grew up riding on these roads with my dad and my young teammates but then moved away to chase my dreams when I was a teenager. It’s always emotional to come back and especially to win,” Nibali explained. 

“I’ve had a lot of physical problems recently and so to win here wasn’t easy. But seeing my family and friends makes it all special and difficult to hold back my emotions. I knew the roads well, especially the final descent, even if I messed up a corner due to all the emotions but it was a special moment in my career. 

“I returned to racing at the Tour of Luxembourg after 20 days of training in Sicily in August. I felt good there and so it was even better here. Now we’ll see what we can do in the Italian one-day races. I’m focused on Il Lombardia, it’s an important race for me."