Nairo Quintana greets Pope Leo XIV during the Vatican stage of the Giro d'Italia.

Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana stopped by this Sunday to greet Pope Leo XIV, who greeted the Giro d'Italia peloton as it passed through Vatican City before embarking on the final stage of the race in Rome. The pontiff, a renowned sports enthusiast, welcomed the 159 riders at the foot of St. Peter's Basilica, within the Papal State.

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Upon their arrival, Leo XIV welcomed them, thanked them for serving as a " model " for young people throughout the world, and gave them his apostolic blessing.

The cyclists then began pedaling through the interior of the Vatican State, a non-competitive parade filled with art and history that served as a prelude to the final stage of the race through the streets of Rome , now in Italian territory.

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However, as all the cyclists began racing through the Vatican, Nairo Quintana (Movistar) stopped in front of the pontiff, an American but also a Peruvian, to shake his hand and chat for a few moments.

EFE