Pope Francis met recent Giro d'Italia winner Egan Bernal of Colombia after his weekly general audience on Wednesday.
Bernal gave the pope his bicycle and the winner's pink jersey saying "it was a special meeting to give him a present from all Colombians".
The pope jocularly asked Bernal how many coffees he drank before competing and then blessed him and his fiancée Maria Fernanda Motas.
Bernal added: "I'm a Catholic and I pray before the most difficult stages".
Asked about the doping scandals that have dogged cycling down the years, Bernal told reporters: "Cycling is today one of the most controlled sports and for me it is one of the cleanest sports".
During the general audience Francis continued his cathechesis on Jesus saying "He was not a philanthropist but he prays God for us".
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