VATICAN CITY. Pope Leo XIV blessed the 159 cyclists of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday as the final stage of the race passed through the Vatican gardens behind St. Peter’s Basilica.
The three-week race’s final leg saw overall leader Simon Yates and other classification leaders step off their bikes to personally greet the pope, who was presented with a replica of the iconic pink jersey. Pope Leo told the riders, “You are role models for young people all over the world. May God bless all of you on this last part of the Giro d’Italia. Congratulations to all of you. May you know that you are always welcome here in the Vatican. You are always welcome at the church, which represents God’s love for all people.”
In a touching off-script moment, Colombia’s Nairo Quintana, the 2014 Giro winner, lingered to greet the pope after other riders had moved on. “For some reason I didn’t realize we were going to stop and really to meet him,” Yates said later after sealing the title. “I thought we would just pass through. So an unforgettable moment for me, for all the riders there as well, just to be there and have his blessings.”
While previous popes have blessed Giro riders and the race has skirted St. Peter’s Square before, this was the first time the course took riders on a three-kilometer (nearly two-mile) route inside the Vatican walls. This tribute was initially planned as part of the 2025 Holy Year for Pope Francis, but after his passing, Leo, the first American pope, decided to honor the race in Francis’ memory.
The riders entered through the Petriano gate, circled the basilica, climbed up toward the Vatican gardens, and exited near the Santa Marta hotel at the Perugino gate, where Francis once lived. This special passage happened during the neutralized period before the stage’s competitive racing began outside the Vatican.
The 143-kilometer (89-mile) final stage concluded with eight laps through downtown Rome, finishing next to the Circus Maximus.
This is the third time since his election that Pope Leo has engaged with the sporting world. Two weeks ago, he met tennis world number one Jannik Sinner, and last week he welcomed Italian soccer champions Napoli to the Vatican.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
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