Koen Bouwman: "I am really very happy. There are no words for this"

Koen Bouwman has been one of the headliners of the Giro d'Italia, taking his second stage win today at the Santuario di Castelmonte, in a stage that saw a dramatic finale.

“I am really very happy. There are no words for this… I can't believe it. It was already very nice to win once in this Giro. I wanted a second stage win, but I was also realistic. After all, it was only my second victory as a professional that I now win twice in the Giro. I'm so happy," Bouwman said after the finale. Having failed in it's GC ambitions, Jumbo-Visma see their race saved with Bouwman as he won two stages and is set to seal the KOM classification in Verona.

Together with Edoardo Affini the duo made the breakaway, and assured the victory would be in front. The natural difficulties of the stage saw the break reduced heavily, and Bouwman rode tactically in the final ascent, saving himself for the sprint.

As several other riders, Bouwman addmited that “I didn't know it was such a sharp turn." He took the win, however not without controversy as Mauro Schmid and Andrea Vendrame steered off the line in the final corner, much because of Bouwman's positioning on the road. There was however no relegation, and a lot of debate on whether the reason behind the incident was in the Dutchman or the route design.

“I knew there was a left turn, but I didn't know the turn was so sharp. I had to brake pretty hard. I knew I had to take the inside turn. I don't know if they fell after me. If so, I'm sorry," he concluded right after the stage.