The Abruzzo rider wins the 90th Giro d'Italia. Now he's aiming at the World Championship.

"Mission accomplished" commented Danilo Di Luca on his victory at the 90th Giro d'Italia.

This was the realization of a dream for the 31-year-old cyclist from Abruzzo, who had aspired to this result since he began to race when he was eight.

If no one considered him among the possible winners at the start of the race, it seems that Danilo himself never doubted his real chances: "Right from the beginning I was always very aware that I could win this Giro d'Italia".

Those who relegated him to the role of a one-day racer after his umpteenth victory in a Classic - the Liege-Bastogne-Liege - committed a serious error. As Di Luca himself explains: "Even as an amateur I also won both one-day races and stage races."

This was an error that also seems to have been made by Simoni, Cunego and Savoldelli, certainly more qualified than him for the final conquest of the pink jersey.

However Danilo does not seem to be content with this extraordinary season and is already indicating his next target: "Sooner or later I'll win the World Championship", and he lets us know that it could even happen this year.