Wout Van Aert has finally conquered his first stage at the Giro d'Italia: the Belgian, who had set out to also win the pink jersey in Albania, did not achieve his goal, but this victory has a truly important meaning for him.

The final kilometers were a two-person race with Del Toro, and only after the climb of Santa Caterina did the Belgian take the lead. "I already knew Del Toro was very strong uphill and I just had to push to the maximum to follow him. So my plan was to overtake him right after the turn. Probably knowing the finish well because I've raced here before helped me."

Van Aert was visibly emotional at the finish line and for his first embrace, he went to find his wife and their two children. "I'm not sure if this was the most emotional victory, but I'm certainly an emotional person and many emotions went through my mind when I crossed the finish line."

Van Aert has a special relationship with Italy, not only because he has won Strade Bianche and Milan-San Remo, but because he appreciates the beauty and cuisine of the country.

"Piazza del Campo is also a special place, I would almost say the best place to conclude a cycling race. It's incredible to feel the spectators so close to you, the fans. Now it's like an arena. So yes, it was an exciting victory for many reasons."

The Belgian now has a victory in all three Grand Tours, which is also a source of satisfaction and a push to continue performing well. "Of course, it's an extraordinary result to win at the Giro. My main goal was to win a stage in Italy. We also had the objective of wearing the pink jersey, I came close in the first stage, but in the following days I struggled quite a bit. For this reason, I think today's victory means even more. Then this victory is also important for my teammates, now we know it's possible to turn the situation around. We have a team for every terrain in this Giro, so I believe this gives us the push to keep trying practically every day."