IT HAS HAPPENED before and it’ll no doubt happen again but one thing is for sure, Luka Pibernik will not make the same mistake again.
The Slovenian rider held a significant advantage heading into the final few kilometres of yesterday’s fifth stage of the Giro d’Italia, but mistakenly thought he had crossed the finish line when there was still one lap to go.
That awkward moment when you celebrate too early 🙈
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 10, 2017
A shocker for @Bahrain_Merida rider Luka Pibernik #Giro100 pic.twitter.com/AfWQAW1Ria
Pibernik believed he had just claimed the biggest victory of his career and raised his arms in celebration when he crossed the line, only to then realise the stage wasn’t over.
The 23-year-old was quickly reeled in by the chasing pack and he eventually finished the stage in 148th position.
In a post-race interview with RAI, the Bahrain-Merida rider’s team-mate, Vincenzo Nibali, explained that a dead radio led to the mistake.
“The problem is that his radio battery was flat and so he didn’t hear us call him,” Nibali said. “He didn’t know there was a lap to go and so the gaff happened. He’s young, things like that can happen.”
The stage was eventually won by Fernando Gaviria.
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Unbelievable result….. fair play to her
@Tony O Connor: Time waits for no one.Sadly some great champions refuse to acknowledge the obvious.
@Tony O Connor: the women’s game is in rag order, Venus is 39 and ranked 44 in the world. Not surprising at all a prodigy dumped her out.
@Billy McNamara: It also happens to team managers too, many do not know when it is time to go. ” You’re only as good as your last game” .
@Tony O Connor: but at why price? Look at the girls shoulders, she has the look of an Olympic powerlifter, and only 15. What kind of a life has she had? I guess trained since birth by her parents. She will be burnt out by 20 like so many before her. Although, I hope I’m wrong.
Hopefully Venus reacted with a tad more dignity and respect than Serena did when Naomi Osaka outplayed her
Ooof. That’s game over for Venus.
Did Jennifer Capriati not qualify for Wimbledon when she was only 14?
@winston smith: She didn’t have to go thru the qualifiers, Caoriati already had high enough ranking to get in automatically
@winston smith: youngest player since 1991
Do they not walk off together anymore at Wimbledon?
@Sheila Teehan: Its very rarely done now-deference is given to the winner to walk off last to get the applause.
Great result for Cori but if she knocks out more high profile players then she will be a future Grand Slam Champion
@Just Some Guy: yeah I think if she wins all her matches over the next two weeks she will win the championship.
@sup: That’s well researched.
@Patrick J. Keating:
Venus was always renowned for close shaves but I think there may be some minor irritation at that result.
The fact that Venus had won 4 grand slams before this girl was born says it all. No one can stay on top forever. Venus Williams will remain one of the best female tennis players but, sadly, the mantle always gets passed on.
Great news!
Teenage kicks!