Tour de France: 'I just let out all the anger' – Pello Bilbao dedicates win to late team-mate Gino Mader

Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) savoured a «special» win in memory of his late team-mate Giro Mader at the 2023 Tour de France on Tuesday. Mader, a former stage winner at the Giro d'Italia, died following a crash on a descent at the Tour of Switzerland in June. Ad The peloton has been awash with #rideforGino stickers at the Tour, while Bilbao has promised to donate €1 to a reforestation charity – a cause close to Mader's heart – for each rider who finishes behind him on a stage, with his donation doubled for stage victories.

Tour de France'A special one' – Bilbao dedicates victory to late team-mate Mader2 HOURS AGO Bilbao got in the breakaway on Stage 10 before playing the finale to perfection to take victory and surge into the top five in the general classification. He was in a chase group that reeled in lone escapee Krists Neilands (Israel–Premier Tech) with 3km remaining on the run to Issoire, before following an attack from Georg Zimmermann (Intermarche–Circus–Wanty) and landing a triumphant sprint. «I crossed the line and I just let out all the anger I had inside and remembered the reason of this victory [points to Mader sticker on jersey].

A special one for Gino,» said Bilbao. Asked if he had his late friend's memory on his mind during the stage, and across the whole Tour, he continued: «It was the only reason. It was hard to prepare the last two weeks with him on the mind.

»But staying with the family at home and my kid Martina, she helped me a lot to just keep calm, be positive and put all my positive energy into trying to do something nice in the Tour. «I wanted to do it in the first two stages, it was so special to me [racing in Bilbao]. It wasn't possible but I just waited for my moment.