Giro First for Canadian Ryder Hesjedal

Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro d'Italia after overturning a deficit of 31 seconds on Joaquim Rodriguez in the concluding time-trial.

Hesjedal (Garmin) posted a time of 34 minutes 15 seconds on the 30-kilometre route around the streets of Milan and then had to wait and see what Rodriguez (Katusha), the last man on the course, could come up with.

The Spaniard had been behind at both intermediate time checks and stopped the clock at 35 minutes 02 seconds, giving Hesjedal - the first Canadian to win any of the Grand Tours - overall victory by a margin of 16 seconds.

Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil), a day after his mountain-top victory on the Stelvio, still had enough left in his legs to snatch third place on the podium from Michele Scarponi (Lampre), who dropped to fourth.

Team Sky's Geraint Thomas had set the early time-trial pace with an effort of 33 minutes 44 seconds but had to settle for second on the day after Marco Pinotti (BMC) trumped him by 39 seconds. Jesse Sergent (RadioShack) was third, a further 14 seconds behind.

Thomas' effort capped a successful Giro for the British-based team, with Colombian duo Rigoberto Uran (seventh) and Sergio Henao (ninth) both finishing in the GC top 10.

World champion Mark Cavendish also bagged three stage wins earlier in the race but had to settle for second in the red jersey points competition, which was won by Rodriguez.