Sarah Gigante has an infectious energy that shines through whether she is saluting after blowing away her rivals on the toughest of mountain stages, or celebrating every day as much as her successes on social media. The Australian cyclist even keeps her smile beaming while reflecting on a recent health concern that threatened to bring her promising career to a standstill. But hidden just beneath the surface is a killer instinct to \u201cmake others hurt\u201d, as well as a steely determination to overcome challenges on and off the bike that have helped lift Gigante into the cycling form of her life.<\/p>\n
The 24-year-old is still coming to terms with the thrill and pride taken from finishing on the podium at the Giro d\u2019Italia Donne when she was third overall behind winner Elisa Longo Borghini. Gigante finished 1min 11sec behind the Italian home favourite and defending champion, with Switzerland\u2019s Marien Reusser in between, but claimed a pair of spectacular stage wins when soloing away on mountain-top finishes and cemented her place as the best climber in the race with the Queen of the Mountains jersey.<\/p>\n
Gigante says she \u201cwasn\u2019t expecting even one of those four super cool results\u201d but can\u2019t help but wonder what might have been in the race for the maglia rosa, after losing 1min 42sec on the main group including Longo Borghini and Reusser, when her team AG Insurance-Soudal were caught out in crosswinds on stage five. The three-time national champion concedes that she still has room for improvement on the flat as well as downhills, while wanting to build on her strengths in the mountains that are now allowing her to pile on the pain.<\/p>\n
Gigante attacks during stage four of the Giro d\u2019Italia Donne in Pianezze. Photograph: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially at the end of a tough race, I just love the hard work and pushing myself,\u201d Gigante tells Guardian Australia ahead of this weekend\u2019s start to the 2025 Tour de France Femmes<\/a>. \u201cAnd maybe it\u2019s a bit mean, but I love to make others hurt.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why I\u2019m able to come back from the setbacks, because I just love riding so much, no matter how hard it is. It\u2019s my job but mainly it\u2019s my hobby and my passion.\u201d<\/p>\n Gigante\u2019s ability to perform at her best in her job, let alone to just continue to enjoy her hobby and passion, were under threat as she suffered through increasingly regular and intense pain and numbness in her right leg. After several years of frustration without a diagnosis, she was finally found to suffer from iliac artery endofibrosis \u2013 a condition that affects the flow of blood and oxygen. \u201cThe artery was all scarred and kinked but also going into spasm every time I exercised, so when I needed more blood, I was getting less,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n Sign up to Australia Sport<\/p>\n Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n