Sunday 29 May 2016 11:23, UK
Esteban Chaves has insisted this year’s Giro d’Italia is "just the beginning for me" despite being denied overall victory on the penultimate stage by Vincenzo Nibali.
Chaves led Nibali by 44 seconds going into stage 20 but couldn't follow the Italian's attack on the third of the day's four climbs and eventually finished 1min 36sec behind.
The outcome relegated Chaves to second place in the general classification, 52 seconds down, yet it is still the best grand tour result of his career.
The 26-year-old Colombian said: "I'm tired but this is the life; it is only a bike race. I tried and did the best I could. The team did the best they could. I'm here. I'm happy. I did my best. I tried and this is just the beginning for me.
"I don't have excuses. I didn't have the legs and that is normal. You need strength to do this. It was one race of 80 hours and 3,000km, and there are no excuses. The only simple answer is that I had no legs.
"It is the beginning for me and for sure other opportunities will come."
Chaves' late demise denied his Orica-GreenEdge team a first grand tour victory, but sports director Matt White insisted second place is still worth celebrating.
He said: "Esteban gave everything he could. Nibali has had a very strong two days. We're still very proud of Esteban. He did what he could, and that's all we can ask from him and the team.
"We've come fifth in the Vuelta [a Espana], and six months later we're second in the Giro to one of the best stage race riders of the last 10 years. To finish second to him is certainly no disgrace."
