Rominger coasts home

CYCLING

Tony Rominger became one of the oldest and fastest winners of the Giro d'Italia, which ended in Milan yesterday. The 34-year-old Swiss rider crossed the line in the pink leader's jersey he had worn since the second day of a race he described as "too dangerous."

"We played with our lives," Rominger said, claiming that there was not enough emphasis put on the riders' safety, particularly when they had to ride through unlit road tunnels.

Rominger, holder of the world hour record, beat last year's Giro winner, the Russian Evgeny Berzin, by 4min 13sec, with Berzin's Latvian team-mate, Piotr Ugrumov, in third. Yesterday's stage, 98.5 miles from Luino, ended with a win for the Italian, Giovanni Lombardi.

Rominger's average speed of 23.9mph made it the fastest race since Francesco Moser won 11 years ago at 24.1mph.

Miguel Indurain elected to miss the Giro to prepare for the Tour de France, in which he is aiming for a fifth consecutive win. "To defeat him is not an obsession with me," Rominger said. "He is a kind guy and I cannot see him as an enemy."