January 1 - May 28, San Candido / Innichen, Italy, Road - WorldTour
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Full live coverage of stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, where a first-category summit finish at Piancavallo will provide a further test to Tom Dumoulin's grip on the maglia rosa.
Good morning, and welcome to Cyclingnews’ live race centre for full live coverage of stage 19 of the Giro. This is the penultimate mountain stage, and the penultimate chance for the likes of Nairo Quintana and Vincenzo Nibali to put time into Tom Dumoulin ahead of the final-day time trial. Coming up: a summit finish on the first-category ascent to Piancavallo.
Here's the scene in San Candido this morning. The riders have arrived and are signing on. Roll-out is a 12pm CET.
No more Mr Nice Guy
Up until now Tom Dumoulin had been his mild-mannered self, waiting for Quintana when he crashed on stage 15 and refusing to blame anyone for pushing on while he answered an emergency nature call ahead of the Umbrailpass on stage 16. Yesterday, however, a bit of needle and polemica was injected into the race as Dumoulin said he would be “really happy” if Quintana and Nibali lost their podium spots.
Why? Fourth-placed Thibaut Pinot and others slipped up the road yesterday and Quintana and Nibali remained glued to Dumoulin’s wheel, with the trio all looking at each other. "They are only focusing on me and trying to make me lose instead of trying to win,” said Dumoulin. “I really hope that riding like this they will lose their podium spot in Milan.”
Nibali has called Dumoulin cocky... Quintana’s not impressed either... This is what we needed. Dumoulin's words have reinvigorated the battle for the maglia rosa, even if his legs have suggested it's all over.
You can read the full story on Dumoulin's comments at the link below.
On the subject, this short clip is essential viewing. Dumoulin and Quintana are in the podium area after yesterday's stage. They shake hands, but then Dumoulin asks 'why didn't you ride'... Quintana shakes his head, not even turning to look at Dumoulin, and climbs onto his bike for a warm-down. The tension is palpable.
I can't embed the clip here but you can see it on the Giro's Twitter feed, right here.
Here's how things stand on GC
1 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb 80:00:48 2 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:31 3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:01:12 4 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:01:36 5 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:58 6 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:07 7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:17 8 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:05:48 9 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:07:06 10 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors 0:07:34 11 Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac 0:07:59
Tejay van Garderen arrives for sign-on. He won yesterday's stage from the break - it was his first Grand Tour stage win and a huge pressure-lifter after what has been a miserable Giro and, in truth, a miserable couple of years for the American.
Italian TV channel, Rai, makes the risky move of getting Dumoulin and Nibali together for a pre-stage chat. All smiles for now - for the cameras at least.
The riders have rolled out of San Candido. We have a short neutralised section and then the race will be underway.
We're off
The flag drops and we have plenty of attacks as the road rises almost instantly for the first climb of the day. It's the third-category Kreuzbergpass.
Five out front with a slim gap.
Pello Bilbao (Astana), Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani-CSF), Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Lars Bak (Lotto Soudal) and Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data).
The GC riders were on the rollers this morning. The opening climb might only be third-category but no one wants to be caught off-guard.
The five escapees are failing to increase their advantage. They only have around 15 seconds.
Ciccone and Bak are dropped from the group. Here come more attacks from the peloton.
177km remaining from 191km
Bilbao takes the KOM points as he crests the climb first. Sky's Diego Rosa and UAE's Rui Costa are on the move behind.
From here, it's mostly downhill to the second-category climb of Sella Chianzutan. With 70km separating it from the foot of the final climb, it's unlikely to play a major role. So this stage could be a case of a straight shoot-out on the Piancavallo climb, and we know how well Dumoulin copes with otherwise moderate stages that finish with one intense effort.
Half a minute for our leading trio. Costa and Rosa are back in the bunch.
The lead group swells on the descent as more riders go on the attack. The peloton is not far behind, though.
Here are the 14 riders now at the front of the race.
Clément Chevrier (Ag2r La Mondiale), Pello Bilbao (Astana), Nicola Boem (Bardiani-CSF), Gregor Mühlberger (Bora-Hansgrohe), Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac), Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Tobias Ludvigsson (FDJ), Evgeny Shalunov (Gazprom-Rusvelo), José Herrada (Movistar), Dries Devenyns (Quick-Step Floors), Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data), Jurgen Van den Boreck (LottoNL-Jumbo), Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) and Ilia Koshevoy (Wilier-Selle Italia).
Dumoulin and Nibali shook hands at the start this morning. Stephen Farrand is sending in a story shortly on that moment of respect, but until then, here's a reminder of Nibali's comments.
Dries Devenyns bags maximum points at the intermediate sprint. He's the teammate of maglia ciclamino wearer, Fernando Gaviria, who has an unassailable lead in that points classification.
The gap between the break and the bunch goes out to 6 minutes as the riders continue this long, gentle descent.
Action
Here we go. The peloton is splitting here, and Dumoulin has been caught out. Big moment here.
Bahrain, Movistar and FDJ are giving it full gas on the front of the bunch. We haven't got a time check on Dumoulin but he's stuck behind.
Dumoulin has teammates with him and they're frantically trying to drag him back into contention.
It's unclear what happened to Dumoulin there and how these splits have formed. It wasn't captured on TV.
We're hearing that Dumoulin is over a minute back...
This is a huge moment at the 100th Giro.
Dumoulin has teammates but it's just Sunweb fighting against three full teams (Bahrain, Movistar, FDJ), so even though there are still 123km to the finish, this is very very dangerous.
It looks like all the other main favourites have made the front group. Adam Yates seems the only other GC rider to miss out. Will Orica help Sunweb?
The gap grows to 1:40. As it stands, Dumoulin is out of pink and off the podium.
Rumours circulating that it was another nature break for Dumoulin...
Dumoulin is limiting the damage, it seems. He's only half a minute back now.
Was there a problem with the GPS? It's difficult to see how a two-minute gap can come down so quickly with teams giving it full gas. 20 seconds now.
Kruijswijk has obviously missed the split as LottNL are working in the Dumoulin group.
This Giro has been fascinating. Perhaps not as explosive as other GTs. But the daily battles between the GC men have been beautifully poised
Dumoulin seems to have prevented this form spiralling into total crisis, but even so, he'll be panicking, he may even be angry, and that disturbance to the world of calm he had previously maintained in this race may take its toll on today's climbs.
110km remaining from 191km
The frantic action has seen the breakaway's lead cut to 2 minutes. They're far from the centre of attention today, though, as all eyes are on this Dumoulin group, which still seems to be almost a minute behind.
Dumoulin finding out what happens when you insult the tactics of two guys who've won six Grand Tours between them. Ruthless.
Well, well, well. We saw the handshake between Dumoulin and Nibali this morning. The maglia rosa also went to apologise to Quintana, apparently. But that pair have shown no mercy here.
We've not yet had confirmation that they did attack while Dumoulin was having a nature break. If that does turn out to be true, you can be sure the war of words will resume with renewed intensity after the finish line.
Eurosport's Brian Smith has spoken to a team DS in the race and he says there was no mention of a nature break on race radio, and no sign of Dumoulin stopped at the roadside.
So was he just badly positioned, and caught napping?
Bahrain, Movistar, FdJ vs LottoJ, Orica, Trek. Sunweb not chasing at the moment. Amazing racing...
This could be full gas all the way to the foot of the final climb. Movistar and FDJ have riders in the break who can help drive it on when the break is caught - at the rate this is going, that's inevitable.
Dumoulin's deficit is down to 25 seconds. He's back as the maglia rosa on the road.
We're coming towards what now looks like a very important second-category climb of Sella Chianzutan.
Siutsou leads the Quintana/Nibali group onto the climb. Nibali second wheel, Quintana just behind.
Dumoulin, meanwhile, sits calmly behind two LottoNL-Jumbo riders. The Dutchman can be mightily relieved he has found himself with plenty of allies.
It's almost over for the break.
96km remaining from 191km
The Nibali/Quintana group reaches the breakaway and continues on. A shame for the break, as it looked like they might have a shot at the stage win before it all kicked off behind.
Herrada does indeed slight right in on the nose of that group.
Sunweb team manager Iwan Spekenbrink has claimed Dumoulin was on a nature break and was attacked by Movistar and Bahrain.
The Dumoulin group is 20 seconds back now.
There are around 25 riders in the Dumoulin group. I can't see a single Sunweb rider in there. LottoNL still setting the pace.
Mollema hits the front in the chase group, with Yates, Dumoulin and Kruijswijk occupying the first four positions. So it's no longer a case of their teammates limiting the damage.
92km remaining from 191km
Meanwhile it seems Movistar have also burned their matches. Quintana seems isolated, though Nibali still has a man on the nose.
The groups are coming together...
Yates gets out of the saddle and the Dumoulin group is back.
Let's see if the maglia rosa rides up to Quintana or Nibali for an exchange of words.
91km remaining from 191km
So, the GC favourites are back together as one. The only thing is, hardly any of them have teammates. Only Nibali and Pinot, it seems.
With 91km left to race, what happens now?
It's Pinot's teammate, Sebastien Reichenbach, who leads the way. He's setting a steadier tempo but it hasn't eased up completely.
Some of the original breakaway riders hung onto the back of the GC group as it came past, and now's there chance to try and get out front again. Rolland, Bilbao, and Costa are on the move.
Luis Leon Sanchez has gone solo, while the others fall back.
We're coming to the top of the climb and it's Devenyns who has come to the front for Jungels.
Quintana drops back to his team car to grab a bidon. No one there to help him do that. There's barely been chance to take a drink in the last 50km.
88km remaining from 191km
Rolland, Costa et al ride up to Sanchez now. So we have a new six-man breakaway.
Pello Bilbao and Luis León Sánchez (Astana), Pierre Rolland (Cannondale-Drapac), Evgeny Shalunov (Gazprom-Rusvelo), Sebastian Henao (Sky) and Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates).
86km remaining from 191km
22 riders in the maglia rosa group as they come over the top of the climb.
Dumoulin cuts an inscrutable figure in that group. No sign of anger or tension on his face as he sits mid-way down the group, calmly working away on the pedals.
The six leaders open up a lead of 45 seconds now as they tear down the descent.
The slight lull in pace combined with this descent has meant that some domestiques are coming back. Quintana now has Amador, it seems. Doesn't look like Dumoulin has support, though.
Quintana & Nibali have been consistent in this #Giro100 - between them they have attacked at every moment you're not supposed to #newschool
Italian TV put forward the theory that Quintana's teammate JJ Rojas was by Dumoulin when he was on a nature break, and that he radio-ed his teammates to tell them to turn on the burners.
Again, that's not confirmed - just one side of the story. If true, though, there'll be a massive fall-out post-stage.
Dumoulin unclips and pulls over for another comfort break. Yes, really. Quintana rises out of the saddle and gives it full gas. No, not really.
The pink jersey group has been taking on some food and more of the non-GC riders who got back in have clipped off in pursuit of the six leaders. Landa is in there, while Nibali and Quintana both have teammates in there.
Dumoulin is back at the front of the peloton now after his trip to the team car. He shook out his right quad a bit - could he be having some cramping?
Up ahead, Luis Leon Sanchez gets a sandwich from the team car.
There's a group chasing the leaders that includes mountains classification jersey holder Mikel Landa, some FDJ riders, one Bahrain-Merida, one Movistar and some Wilier Triestina riders - still waiting on the official composition. They've closed in as the maglia rosa group sat up for visits to the team cars. The GPS is saying over four minutes to the Dumoulin group, with the chasers within a minute of the Sanchez group.
63km remaining from 191km
The regrouping in the maglia rosa group has meant that Dumoulin now has teammates to set the pace, and they're setting such a gentle tempo that the leaders now have over five minutes - and it's going up rapidly. Landa's group still dangles just over a minute behind the group of Sanchez.
61km remaining from 191km
The chasers are closing in - 39 seconds now as Bardiani CSF leads the effort.
This chasing group has two FDJ riders, and they'll want to be up ahead on the Piancavallo to help Thibaut Pinot should he attack to threaten Nibali's podium spot.
Pinot will want to get at least a minute, if not more, on Nibali before the time trial, if his performance goes like the stage 10 TT on the final day, if he wants to be on the podium.
57km remaining from 191km
It's a beautiful day in Northern Italy, the peloton is snaking down a short descent, well behind the race leaders.
The chasing group is nearly there.
It contains: Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain-Merida), Clément Chevrier (Ag2r La Mondiale), Nicola Boem, Lorenzo Rota (Bardiani-CSF), Rudy Molard (FDJ), José Herrada, José Joaquin Rojas (Movistar), Ruben Plaza (Orica-Scott), Eros Capecchi (Quick-Step Floors), Mikel Landa (Team Sky), Matteo Busato and Ilia Koshevoy (Wilier-Southeast).
Sunweb lead the peloton down a short section of downhill. All calm out there now.
But as I write that Dumoulin pulls over and calls for a new wheel. He's had a front puncture but is back on his bike pretty quickly.
51km remaining from 191km
The chasers make the junction, giving us a big group out front with a lead of 7 minutes, and just over 50km left to race.
We're hearing that a Sunweb DS has told Italian TV that Dumoulin was not taking a comfort break when the other teams split the race, seemingly contradicting the earlier suggestions of Spekebrink.
The gap between the break and the peloton goes out towards the nine-minute mark. It looks like today's stage winner will be coming from that 18-man front group.
36km remaining from 191km
The breakaway riders come to the intermediate sprint point and Eros Capecchi accelerates to mop up the points.
The gap is up to 11:45 as the peloton continues to stroll along casually.
So, who's your pick for the stage win?
Will Rolland double up? Third time lucky for Landa? Let us know your thoughts via Twitter @cyclingnewsfeed.
Whoever does win, and whichever of the GC contenders wants to take time behind, will have to conquer this climb to Piancavallo.
It's a fairly long ascent at over 15km, and it is tough, especially the first half. It does, however, ease in the final 5km and considerably so in the final 2km.
26km remaining from 191km
The breakaway is now just over 25km from the finish. The peloton are a good bit further back but they're starting to get organised for the run-in. The pace has been pedestrian for some time now but Bahrain-Merida have moved men towards the front to pick up the pace.
@Cyclingnewsfeed Landa leads out the sprint with 600m to go.
And now the breakaway riders start to attack each other. A couple of digs are followed by a lull, and that's going to see their lead come down.
21km remaining from 191km
Luis Leon Sanchez attacks the break now. Molard follows.
Shouts for Sanchez for the stage win have come in from Peter Woodrow and Evangelos C Gatseos. Before he made his attack, I might add.
Molard and Sanchez trade turns as the rest of the break lines out. Who's going to take responsibility to chase it down?
With such a big climb coming up, the likes of Landa and Rolland aren't going to be overly concerned here. 15 seconds the gap.
30 seconds isn't ideal, though, and Landa orders Henao to the front of the chase group.
15km remaining from 191km
Sanchez and Molard hit the climb.
Sanchez pushes on without Molard.
Luis Leon Sanchez has looked strong this Giro and has had plenty of time in breaks. He was third in Peschici on stage 8.
13km remaining from 191km
Henao continues the chase and is about to catch Molard. Rolland is second wheel, Landa just behind. Sanchez has 45 seconds now.
It's on in the peloton behind. We have GC teams forming trains as they look to keep their riders in a strong position for the final climb.
FDJ are on the right-hand side of the road, Trek-Segafredo are on the left. Lotto Soudal, weirdly, are dead centre.
The breakaway has thinned considerably as Henao leads the pursuit of Sanchez. Just six in there.
Rui Costa attacks. Henao follows - Landa on the wheel. The other riders there are Rolland, Shalunov, and one of the Wiliers.
Back in the peloton, a Trek rider picks up a bidon and throws it, hard, into the back of a Movistar rider. What was all that about?!
It was Eugenio Alafaci who threw the bottle. It seems Movistar's Rory Sutherland swerved and cut him up, hence the anger. These could be Alafaci's last pedal strokes in this Giro.
Rui Costa has caught Sanchez.
Dumoulin dropped
The peloton are on the early slopes of the climb and the race leader is slipping back. He has a teammate there.
Movistar sense weakness and Winner Anacona hits the front.
We said we couldn't see much weakness in the legs of Dumoulin, but there are a couple of danger signs here. He has two teammates now as he hangs on the back of the group.
10km remaining from 191km
Sanchez goes pop. Costa is alone out front.
The first half of this climb is crucial. The steepest ramps come near the mid-way point, and Quintana and Nibali surely nearly need to use them.
It's on up the road, too. Landa has attacked and has joined Costa. Rolland is chasing.
9km remaining from 191km
And Landa attacks Costa now. The Portuguese rider has no response. Landa dances out of the saddle - is this finally to be his day? Still a long way to go but Landa needs to use the steepest part of the climb.
Dumoulin remains at the back of the GC group, alongside Simon Geschke. He's not cracking, but the maglia rosa doesn't usually ride right at the back of the group.
Winner Anacona, in his characteristic low position, continues to apply the pressure on the front of the GC group. Nibali's teammate, Pellizotti, is second wheel, Quintana just behind.
8km remaining from 191km
Landa makes his way up the climb on his own. Costa is at 25 seconds now.
Dumoulin is gapped again.
Geschke is on the front for the race leader but a gap has opened to Jungels, now the last man in that group.
Surely the attacks will come soon, with the maglia rosa visibly suffering.
Anacona is done now. Pellizotti continuing the charge. Quintana swings to the side of the road, but waits for now.
Dumoulin is distanced but he's not cracking. The gap is still small. We've seen Dumoulin take a steady approach to climbs before, but if he had the legs he showed on Oropa, for example, he wouldn't let a gap open in the first place.
Should Quintana and Nibali not be twisting the knife? Good chance that Dumoulin gets a second wind (not THAT kind of wind).
Quintana and co are approaching the 14% ramps. Surely an attack will come there.
6km remaining from 191km
Landa has nearly a minute on Costa now.
Still Pellizotti leads. Nibali tucked in behind. Mollema is up there with Pinot. Then it's Quintana.
Pozzovivo, Zakarin, Jungels, Yates, Formolo all in there, too. Kruijswijk is in trouble and is getting dropped by Dumoulin now.
Dumoulin is 20 seconds back now.
Rolland is up with Costa now, but they're 1:05 down on Landa.
Geschke is done. The maglia rosa is completely alone, and this is now an individual fight to hold onto the lead of the race.
Dumoulin can still see the back of this group. He's not shipping time here.
5km remaining from 191km
Rolland grimaces but 1:10 up the road Landa is out of the saddle soaring up the mountain. After two recent second-place finishes, and one third place earlier in the race, could this be Landa's day to salvage his Giro?
Pellizotti is setting a strong pace and the effort is etched across the faces of the GC favourites.
Pinot attacks!
Zakarin leads the chase but the Frenchman is getting away. They're looking at each other now, and that allows Pellizotti to come back to the front.
Any lull, of course, only plays into the hands of Dumoulin.
But Dumoulin is 32 seconds behind now. Quintana is the virtual maglia rosa.
3km remaining from 191km
1:30 now for Landa. This stage is surely his.
Pinot receives some encouragement from Didi the Devil. He still has a decent gap. After yesterday, there is pressure on Nibali's third place. When will the Italian go?
The answer is now. Nibali is away, Quintana on the wheel.
That group thins to 7 now. Nibali, Quintana, Pozzovivo, Yates, Zakarin, Mollema, and Jan Hirt.
Zakarin attacks
Quintana in trouble!
That was a worrying moment for Quintana as he is momentarily distanced. He's back up, though, as the group comes back together.
Pinot is 45 seconds ahead of Dumoulin. No time check for the Quintana/Nibali group.
Quintana links up with Rojas, who was in the break before. Those GC riders are looking at each other though, and that's only going to play into the hands of two men: Pinot and Dumoulin.
The group reaches Visconti now, so Nibali also has a teammate.
Meanwhile Landa is approaching the flamme rouge with a lead of 1:45
Jungels and a couple of others are back with Nibali/Quintana. A clear let-up in the pace.
Here comes Landa as the road flattens out.
Landa raises his arm as he comes into the final few hundred metres. He's going to enjoy this one.
Mikel Landa (Team Sky) wins stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia
The Spaniard sits up, stretches his arms out, raises them up in the air, and crosses the line. Finally, it pays off.
The gentler gradients of the end of this climb are going to be a welcome relief to Dumoulin.
Rolland and Costa come to the line together. Costa opens the sprint and Rolland doesn't respond. Costa 2nd, Rolland 3rd.
Man, what might have been for Landa. Excellent work to recalibrate his goals though. Good sign after last year. #Giro100
It's lethargic in the favourites' group. With 3km to go, no one is committing to a big attack.
Zakarin does so now. Pozzovivo follows. No immediate response.
Visconti is on the front trying to drag this one back.
Zakarin flicks his elbow to usher Pozzovivo through for a turn. After an initial refusal, the Italian does so. The dup have a decent gap as Visconti pulls over.
My in-depth analysis of the Giro: everyone's knackered
Dumoulin was in trouble right from the start of that climb, so to limit the damage was a great effort. The pain was etched on his face, though, and he faded towards the top of that climb on the relatively benign gradients.
Stage top 10
1 Mikel Landa (Spa) Team Sky 4:53:00 2 Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:49 3 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale-Drapac 0:01:54 4 Pello Bilbao (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:02:12 5 Sebastian Henao (Col) Team Sky 0:03:06 6 Evgeny Shalunov (Rus) Gazprom – Rusvelo 0:03:51 7 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 8 Matteo Busato (Ita) Wilier Triestina 0:05:05 9 Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Bardiani CSF 10 Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Wilier Triestina 0:06:44
Pinot should now be around 10 seconds off Nibali. We'll have the new GC for you very shortly.
We'll also be bringing you all the instant reaction from the mountain, and there is a lot to dissect today... So stick around.
General classification after stage 19
1 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 85:02:40 2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb 0:00:38 3 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:00:43 4 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ 0:00:53 5 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:21 6 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale 0:01:30 7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:02:48 8 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-Scott 0:06:35 9 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors 0:07:03 10 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 0:07:37
So, where does that leave us?
We have a final mountain stage tomorrow - not quite a summit finish, but near enough - and a final chance for Quintana et al to put time into Dumoulin ahead of the final-day time trial. And Quintana will need more time - 38 seconds isn't, on paper, enough in a 30km time trial.
The question is, how will Dumoulin's legs respond tomorrow. He looked knackered at the end there, and if that continues tomorrow he's certainly vulnerable.
Quintana, of course, has to worry about Nibali, who would surely put a decent chunk of time into him in a time trial. So even if they can put Dumoulin to the sword tomorrow, Quintana needs to find something special to put time into Nibali.
And then there's Pinot who is arguably the strongest time triallist in the top 10 apart from Dumoulin. He's only 10 seconds back on Nibali and 15 on Quintana. And he's looked strong the last two days.
This Giro, in other words, is wide open.
Dumoulin speaks
"I had bad legs from the start and I made a rookie mistake at the beginning, sitting at the back of the bunch on the downhill. Then Bahrain and Movistar split the bunch and I was in the second group and needed, with my bad legs, to go to the maximum to come back, in the middle of the stage. So that was really unnecessary.
"In the final I tried to limit my losses and I did that very well. My team was really strong today, thye saved me a couple of times, so I have to thank them otherwise it would have been a much worse day. Bad legs today, but I hope they’ll be better tomorrow."
Dumoulin, then, dispels the rumours that his rivals attacked him on a comfort break. He was simply caught off-guard, out of position. That split didn't prove crucial, but it certainly contributed to the softening-up process ahead of the final climb.
Bad legs and cracks in the armour of the Dutchman. A one-off? Or symptom of fatigue setting in towards the end of an arduous Giro? Tomorrow is a big day for Tom Dumoulin.
RT @Vaughters: Thing to think about, is historically, pure climbers, like NQ, always ride, relatively, much better in a stage 21 TT, than a…
"It’s been difficult moments in the last month. And now also here, I know, we started well, but we had the crash and we have to regroup. I feel very happy - also the emotion was because my family is here - I’m really happy.
"I had a teammate in the breakaway, and this was key for my win today. I’m very happy and proud. Maybe it’s not what we expected at the beginning, but I’m very proud."
Quintana is back in pink
And here are Quintana's thoughts
"I was feeling very good. It was a hard stage, but thanks to my team I managed to get back into the maglia rosa.
"The advantage is a big complicated, but we’ll take it day by day. Tomorrow there will be another hard one, and then the time trial will be very important. There we will play for the win."
Adam Yates, who was caught behind in that early split with Dumoulin, retains his white jersey for best young rider. Bob Jungels finished alongside him today, in the Quintana group, and remains one place behind at 28 seconds. With the time trial looming, then, Yates needs more time tomorrow.
"At the beginning it was a bit of a drag race between a couple of teams," he says. "The boys did a good job to look after me. We had to do a big chase, but there were a couple of GC guys who missed it like Kruijswijk and Mollema and Dumoulin - we were all in the second group behind. We had a big chase, but in the end we got back together - it’s not been too bad. In the end there were a couple of guys stronger than me, that’s all there is to it."
Really nice for @MikelLandaMeana to have his parents here at the finish #Giro100 https://t.co/3SHe3SQvbx
After Dumoulin's weakness today, it's a really open one, even if the finish line is positioned some 15km from the top of the final climb.
Things will surely come to life on Monte Grappa. From there it's a fast descent and a short stint in the valley before another first-category ascent. Dumoulin's rivals will want to expose him on that first climb. It all depends on the Dutchman's legs, and that's just so unpredictable now.
Valstagna-Foza, el último puerto del #Giro100 #Foza | vía @friebos https://t.co/iDe9A8orwy
That right there is the final climb of the 100th Giro d'Italia. It's 14km long and is worth every bit of its first-category status.
A finish line shot of the stage winner
We have video highlights of today's dramatic stage. You can find them in our report page.
That's it from us today, and what a day it has been. We'll have all the in-depth reaction and news shortly on Cyclingnews.com.
And we'll be back here tomorrow morning to do it all again. As I said, it's such a huge day, and it's so open - not one to be missed. Thanks for your company today. Ciao!
Cross-country tyres are the lightest and fastest MTB rubber. You need to be able to finish if you're looking to finish first though and race conditions can really vary too
