UPDATE: Cycling: Sam Bewley revels in tour victory

TEAM TRIUMPH: Rotorua's Sam Bewley pictured (front) riding for the Orica GreenEDGE team earlier this year. PHOTO/GRAHAM WATSON

UPDATE: Sam Bewley's Orica GreenEDGE cycling team are still on top of the leaderboard after stage two of the Giro d'Italia this morning.

The Rotorua cyclist is racing for the Australian team at the Giro d'Italia this year.

Team Sky's Elia Viviani (Italy) won the 177km second stage early this morning, between Albenga and Genoa, but Orica GreenEDGE's Michael Matthews (Australia) holds the pink jersey as the overall leader of the tour.

Bewley helped Orica GreenEDGE win the first stage of the tour on Sunday morning, a team time-trial.

The Giro d'Italia is one of three grand tours in world cycling alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana. It runs for three weeks and includes 21 stages.

Orica GreenEDGE currently lead the teams clasification of the tour. The third stage will be held overnight tonight.

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EARLIER: Rotorua cyclist Sam Bewley has described being part of a stage win at the prestigious Giro d'Italia as "very special".

Bewley's Orica GreenEDGE team won the first stage of the Giro d'Italia tour in San Remo early yesterday morning.

The Giro d'Italia is one of three grand tours in world cycling alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana.

Australian team Orica GreenEDGE took the first stage, a 17.6km team time-trial. The format saw the clock stopped after the fifth rider in each team crossed the finish line.

Bewley played a big part in helping his team finish the stage in 19m 26s, seven seconds faster than the Tinkoff-Saxo team from Russia.

The result propelled his team mate Simon Gerrans (Australia) to the pink jersey.

Bewley stayed with his team until near the end of the stage before dropping back and recording the 176th-fastest time in the 197-strong field, more than two minutes behind Gerrans.

Bewley, 27, shared his delight in the win on Facebook.

"That was amazing. Very special. I've had some rough times with injury the past two seasons and to win today in this way, with the team, with my mates at the giro is incredible," he posted.

He also posted a picture of him and his team mates celebrating after the stage victory.

The second stage of the Giro d'Italia was held overnight.