May 28 (Reuters) – Primoz Roglic became the first Slovenian winner of the Giro d’Italia when he retained the overall lead after Sunday’s 21st and Liverpool Drakt final stage in Rome, a day after he ousted Geraint Thomas from the maglia rosa in a dramatic time trial.

The 33-year-old seized the pink jersey with a powerful performance in Saturday’s penultimate stage and finished Sunday’s ceremonial 126-km flat run safely in the bunch to clinch the victory.

(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Sharon Singleton)