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The 25-year-old started the day 0.86 seconds
behind Hindley but he beat the Australian to win the race by 39
seconds and give Ineos-Grenadiers their second Giro title after
Chris Froome's 2018 triumph.
Dutchman Wilco Kelderman, Hindley's team mate at Sunweb, took
third place overall, 1:29 off the pace after the 15.7-km
individual time trial between Cernusco sul Naviglio and Milan
won by Italian Filippo Ganna.
The race had been rescheduled from May 9-31 amid the COVID-19
crisis.
"It's incredible. It was impossible for me to even think about
winning the Giro when we started in Sicily," said Geoghegan
Hart, who was only his team's plan B.
"All of my career I have dreamt of being top 10 or top five in a
race like this. During the ITT (individual time trial) my DS
(sports director) told me I was faster than Jai Hindley.
"When my DS told me not to take risks in the final part I
understood I was close to the victory.”
Ganna, who won the race's three individual time trials and a
mountain stage, was in the hot seat to see his team mate ride to
victory in Milan.
"I have won this ITT but I am even happier for my team mate Tao,
it's fantastic," he said.
"I knew he could do it. Now I look forward to celebrating
today's results with Tao.”
Geoghegan Hart's victory came on the back of a largely
disappointing Tour de France from Ineos-Grenadiers after
defending champion Egan Bernal pulled out injured in the final
week having previously dropped out of contention.
The Giro started in horrific fashion for the British outfit as
leader Geraint Thomas pulled out after a crash early in the
race, only for the team to win seven stages with Geoghegan Hart
moving up the ranks until he snatched the overall lead on the
last stage.
France's Arnaud Demare won the points classification after
winning four sprint stages while Portuguese Ruben Guerreiro
claimed the mountains classification.
It was however Geoghegan Hart and Hindley who were the most
impressive in the mountains, riding away on the awe-inspiring
climb of the Passo dello Stelvio on Thursday, and again in the
ascent to Sestriere on Saturday, setting the scene for a
nail-biting finale.
With both riders on the same time on the starting ramp on
Sunday, Geoghegan Hart was the favourite to become Britain's
second Giro champion, but grand tour final time trials can often
be unpredictable.
There was no surprise, though, as GPS timings always had the
Scot ahead.
(Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Clare Fallon)
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