A historic detour marked the final stage of this year's Giro d'Italia as 159 cyclists pedalled through the Vatican gardens, receiving the blessing of newly elected Pope Leo XIV.
"You are role models for young people all over the world," the pope told the peloton, after shaking hands with Simon Yates and other race leaders.
The three-kilometre ride behind St Peter's Basilica paid tribute to Pope Francis, who had originally planned the event for the 2025 Holy Year. His successor, the first North American pope, chose to keep the gesture alive in his memory.
While popes have blessed Giro riders before, and the race has previously passed through or near St Peter’s Square, this marked the first time the route took the peloton inside the Vatican walls.
