Orica-GreenEdge team owner Gerry Ryan was at the Giro d'Italia for the final stages of the race to witness Esteban Chaves take the maglia rosa and then lose it Vincenzo Nibali on the last mountain stage to Sant'Anna di Vinadio on Saturday.
As the Giro d'Italia ended in Turin, the Australian businessman revealed he was disappointed to go so close to securing Orica-GreenEdge's first ever Grand Tour victory but proud of what Chaves and the team have achieved.
"I'm a little bit disappointed that he didn't keep the pink jersey but realistically looking at it, a champion beat him," Ryan told Cyclingnews before celebrating with the team after the conclusion of the race.
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"Running second in this tour is something special. It is probably our best performance as a team yet. As Chaves said to me after the race, 'Gerry, this is only the beginning' He's right. This result gives the whole team confidence and confirmation that we're working well. It gives our sponsors exposure and repays in kind after they've been good to us over the years, especially Orica. It also gives the fans lots to cheerful."
Orica-GreenEdge signed Chaves as he was recovering from his accident at the 2013 Trofeo Laigueglia that almost ended his career. He needed surgery to rebuild the nerves in his arm but the team believed in the Grand Tour potential he had shown when he won the 2011 Tour de l'Avenir stage race.
"I'm a believer in management, planning and gradually bringing the riders to where we want to be. We always think three years out and now it's happening with Esteban," Ryan explained.
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