Giro d'Italia stage 19 – Live coverage

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of another decisive day at the Giro d'Italia – another summit finish.

Today's stage is the latest showdown in the GC battle, with maglia rosa Egan Bernal looking to defend his jersey against the resurgent Simon Yates. The big question to be answered is: was the Colombian's jour sans on Sega di Ala a one-off, or the first signs of his back trouble returning?

The stage has been altered from the original route, of course. The peloton were due to tackle the Mottarone climb near Lake Maggiore, though RCS Sport took the decision to cut the climb following the tragic cable crash crash on the mountain which killed 14 people on Sunday.

Giro d'Italia stage 19 rerouted after tragic cable car crash at Mottarone mountain

A look at the new route map, which takes in the fourth-category Alpe Agogna instead.

Perhaps the major news story from yesterday, which saw the peloton finish over 23 minutes behind winner Alberto Bettiol, was maglia ciclamino Peter Sagan receiving a fine for intimidating behaviour.

Peter Sagan fined for 'intimidation' in Giro d'Italia stage 18

A reminder of the top 10 on GC ahead of the stage...

1 Egan Bernal Gomez (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 77:10:18
2 Damiano Caruso (Ita) Bahrain Victorious 0:02:21
3 Simon Yates (GBr) Team BikeExchange 0:03:23
4 Aleksandr Vlasov (Rus) Astana-Premier Tech 0:06:03
5 Hugh Carthy (GBr) EF Education-Nippo 0:06:09
6 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team DSM 0:06:31
7 Daniel Martinez Poveda (Col) Ineos Grenadiers 0:07:17
8 João Almeida (Por) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:08:45
9 Tobias Foss (Nor) Jumbo-Visma 0:09:18
10 Daniel Martin (Irl) Israel Start-up Nation 0:13:37

The Giro d’Italia stirs emotions like no other race. To understand its hidden depths, Procycling magazine speaks to the riders, staff and journalists with intimate knowledge of the corsa rosa.

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Giro d'Italia peloton to donate stage 19 prize money to those affected by Stresa cable car crash

CPA announces tribute and donation to sole survivor Eitan Biran and families of the 14 victims

With Peter Sagan all but certain to win the maglia ciclamino on Sunday, Bora-Hansgrohe and Specialized have today unveiled a new paint job for his bike. Check it out below.

Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec have lost their first rider of the Giro. 22-year-old Ecuadorian talent Jefferson Cepeda has left the race. He impressed at the Tour of the Alps, finishing fourth, but has found it tougher going over the past 18 days.

Stage 8 winner Victor Lafay (Cofidis) has also left the race today.

The peloton have set off from Abbiategrasso, meanwhile. They're riding through the neutralised zone now.

166km to go

And they're off! Attacks from the very start..

Trek-Segafredo Matteo Moschetti is trying to get away from the peloton at the moment. Several more men chase.

Moschetti is from Milan, not far from the start today, if you're wondering why a sprinter is on the attack...

He's brought back and now more men attempt to get away. There's no separation from the peloton at the moment, though.

159km to go

No move is away yet. Still riders try to go.

150km to go

Dries De Bondt (Alpecin-Fenix) frantically signalling for the riders he's attacking with to get working. They don't have much of a gap to the peloton, though. Ineos chasing the group down.

BikeExchange have Chris Juul-Jensen in the move, so that's maybe why Ineos are leading the chase. There are no other danger men in there.

And now that quite large group has been brought back.

We're 20 killometres into the stage now and still no group has made it away.

Pretty much every team – bar Ineos – has been trying to get men up the road.

De Bondt is out front as the riders reach Novara. He's out there with Alpecin-Fenix teammate Louis Vervaeke, Androni's Eduardo Sepulveda, Astana's Fabio Felline, and Wanty's Andrea Pasqualon.

That group has a small gap on the peloton, but things are still going very fast here.

137km to go

Just 10 seconds at the moment.

Now that group has been caught and the battle continues.

128km to go

Still no break at the moment. A group of GC men are chatting amongst themselves towards the rear of the peloton.

Pasqualon involved in the lastest move now. A small group clipping off the front.

Larry Warbasse (AG2R Citroën), Mark Christian (Eolo-Kometa), Giovanni Aleotti (Bora-Hansrohe), Andrea Pasqualon, Quinten Hermans (Intermarché-Wanty Gobert), Nicola Venchiarutti (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) have 20 seconds.

This could be the move to go, after 46 kilometres of racing...

A Bardiani rider is trying to bridge now. 1:20 is the gap so that is our break today.

Runner upon stage 15 Oscar Riesebeek (Alpecin-Fenix) is also chasing the break – he's not far behind them.

The average speed so far has been just over 51kph. A very fast start.

Riesebeek 30 seconds down on the break, Zoccarato (Bardiani-CSF-Faizanè) 1:30 down, and the peloton three minutes down.

Team BikeExchange controls the peloton.

110km to go

45 seconds to Riesebeek, 1:40 to Zoccarato, 3:30 to the peloton. It doesn't look like the chasers will make it across...

The break are nine kilometres away from the first climb of the day at Gignese now. That's the climb that was substituted in for Mottarone.

100km to go

The break reaches the final 100 kilometres of the stage now. They're on a descent before hitting the climb of the Alpe Agogna.

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Don't miss a moment of action from the final, decisive, days of the Giro

The break are on the climb now.

3:20 back to the peloton.

None of the men in the break are even in the same time zone as the riders at the top of the general classification.

Larry Warbasse is best placed, but he's 41st, 1h40:43 down on maglia rosa Egan Bernal. Venchiarutti is the lowest-placed rider in the break – he's 132nd at 3h58:05.

BikeExchange continue to control the peloton here. Ineos and Bahrain Victorious lie just behind them.

It's a pretty long climb but the gradient is not steep. The break are close to the top and still all together.

Nobody ini the break is a threat for the maglia azzurra – Aleotti and Hermans lead the way with three points to their name.

81km to go

Christian led Venchiarutti over the top. Four minutes back to the peloton.

They're descending to Stresa now – the town from which the cable car ran up to Mottarone. The day's first intermediate sprint at Baveno will follow shortly after.

Deceuninck-QuickStep are pushing on at the front of the peloton with Iljo Keisse and Mikkel Honoré as the riders skirt the shores of Lake Maggiore.

The full Deceuninck-QuickStep team are on the front now.

67km to go

And now Matthias Brändle (ISN) goes on the attack as they reach Stresa. He grabs two points at the intermediate sprint. Pasqualon led the break across.

There was a bit of a split in the peloton on the descent but nobody big was caught out.

Ganna and Dani Martínez were briefly in a second group but it's all back together now. The gap to the break is down to two minutes.

54km to go

The break are around eight kilometres until the start of the next climb now. The Passo della Colma is a third-category climb measuring 7.5 kilometres at 6.4 per cent.

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Deceuninck-QuickStep and Team BikeExchange continue to lead the peloton.

Here's a look at today's break, with Warbasse at the front.

45km to go

1:50 for the breakaway as the riders take on the Passo della Colma.

Gianluca Brambilla (Trek-Segafredo) has abandoned after a crash.

Dries De Bondt losing contact in the peloton along with several other riders.

It's still BikeExchange and QuickStep controlling the peloton. 1:30 behind the break at the moment. Venchiarutti has been dropped from the break.

40km to go

The riders pass the 40km banner. We're into the final of the stage.

The remaining five breakaway riders make it over the top of the climb, with Warbasse leading.

Deceuninck-QuickStep are once again pushing it on the descent. 1:10 to the break.

A shot of the peloton passing Lake Maggiore earlier on.

The break still has 1:20 but that advantage will dissolve on the day's final climb. Deceuninck-QuickStep continue to push.

Not much likely to happen before they hit the slopes of the Alpe di Mera now. It's a waiting game ahead of the climb to the finish.

21km to go

The break is 11 kilometres away from the start but the road is rising all the time.

De Bondt is back in the peloton and riding on the front for some reason...

QuickStep, Ineos and Bahrain all lined up at the front with a BikeExchange's Cam Meyer on the front.

16km to go

The break's advantage is down to a minute now.

Here's a look at today's final climb. It's steadier than Sega di Ala, and also shorter and less steep, too.

The break will reach the start in four kilometres.

45 seconds for the break now.

All eyes are on Bernal and Yates (and Caruso), but you'd expect something big from João Almeida here, given how much work Deceuninck-Quickstep have put in so far.

11km to go

One kilometre to the start of the climb.

Eolo-Kometa (for stage 14 winner Lorenzo Fortunato) and Jumbo-Visma (for Tobias Foss) have moved towards the front.

10km to go

The break hits the Alpe di Mera! The peloton are just 20 seconds back.

Deceuninck-QuickStep ahead of Ineos on the lower slopes.

Filippo Ganna peels off the front.

Plenty of riders dropping away early on.

Pieter Serry drops off and James Knox takes over.

Alberto Bettiol is gone, too, so he won't be there to help Carthy like he did on Sega di Ala.

Christian attacks the break, who are only 10 seconds up now.

8km to go

The remainder of the breakaway are brought back. Christian pushes on alone.

Valiant stuff from Christian but he won't last too much longer.

Davide Formolo drops from the peloton.

A pat on the back for Aleotti from Warbasse as the breakaway riders drop from the peloton.

Cumbrian James Knox pulls the peloton in pursuit of Manxman Mark Christian

7.5km to go

It's over for Christian now. The peloton leads the race.

Almeida has Knox left. Bernal has three men to ride for him.

The peloton is getting smaller all the time as Knox keeps pushing.

400+ watts for Knox according to the live tracking.

7km to go

Knox pulls off and Almeida goes!

No immediate response as Ineos take the front.

Almeida is 8:45 down on GC so no worry for Bernal. Castroviejo is on the front now.

DSM move up now. Their man Romain Bardet lies sixth overall at 6:31.

6.5km to go

Yates goes!

George Bennett and Caruso are first to react along with Vlasov.

Bernal has't reacted.

Bernal has two domestiques with him.

6km to go

Yates, Vlasov, Caruso and Almeida are together.

13 seconds for the group ahead of Bernal. Yates goes again!

Castroviejo and Martínez working for Bernal.

5.5km to go

20 seconds between Yates and Bernal's group.

Yates continues to push on along. No response from behind.

They're hitting the steepest slopes of the climb now. The last five kilometres average 10.4 per cent.

Bennett drops from the chasing trio. Caruso is pushing on in pursuit of Yates.

4.5km to go

Almeida also working on the front.

24 seconds to Yates, 8 between Bernal and the chasers.

Now Hugh Carthy makes a push from the Bernal group.

4km to go

And Carthy makes it across to the trio.

Still, Castroviejo and Martínez work for Bernal.

28 seconds for Yates.

Castroviejo finishes his work.

Now Vlasov pushes on from that chase group.

Martínez and Bernal are back with Caruso, Almeida and Carthy.

So Yates is 30 seconds up the road, and now Vlasov is brought back.

Dan Martin and Foss drop from the chase group after Martínez upped the pace.

3km to go

Carthy is dropped! Five left in Bernal's group now.

Martínez has closed to 25 seconds behind Yates.

Still Martinez, Bernal, Caruso, Almeida and Vlasov chasing. 22 seconds now.

It looks under control for Ineos at the moment, barring a disaster in these final kilometres.

2.5km to go

Now the timing changes to 11 seconds and then back to 19 seconds and then 21 seconds. Who knows...

Martínez drops away and now Bernal takes over.

Bernal pushes on, dropping Caruso, Vlasov and Almeida.

The gap is still around 20 seconds.

Almeida gets back to Bernal with Caruso on his wheel. The Italian is struggling, though.

Bernal and Almeida 18 seconds down, Caruso next a few seconds back, then Vlasov, who is gone.

All in hand for Bernal, so far.

2km to go

Yates passes the 2km banner. Still double-digit gradients here.

Caruso will be on the defensive again tomorrow – he's just 1:02 down on Yates on GC. A podium place will still be an amazing result for him, though.

30 seconds between Yates and Caruso.

Bernal has that steely look of pain/determination in his eyes.

Yates with reflective shades on... Who knows?

1.5km to go

The gaps aren't changing. 18 seconds between Yates and Bernal-Almeida. 12 more back to Caruso.

The final kilometre is still just over 10 per cent in gradient.

We have no idea how far back Bardet, Martinez, Vlasov and Carthy are. Almeida could be making up a few places here today.

1km to go

16 seconds now between Yates and Bernal-Almeida.

Caruso still follows another 15 seconds back.

Almeida is working with Bernal.

Vlasov is not too far behind Caruso.

700m to go

Yates in the final stretch.

No time gap to Vlasov at the moment. Maybe another 15 seconds?

Almeida with a big pain face as he pushes on with Bernal. 17 seconds to Yates.

500m to go

Yates half a kilometre away from a stage win.

Almeida is distancing Bernal in the closing metres.

Simon Yates (Team BikeExchange) wins stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia atop the Alpe di Mera!

João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep) takes second place, 11 seconds down.

Maglia rosa Egan Bernal takes third. He has lost 28 seconds to Yates (plus a difference of six in bonus seconds).

Caruso and Vlasov finish around 9-10 seconds later. Dan Martin next across the line.

Martinez next. Not huge time gaps.

Carthy, Bardet and Foss finish 1:26 down.

A modest swing from Bernal to Yates, then. The Briton looks good to take second place tomorrow, but if he wants to take the overall victory he'll have to go very long. That seems like a long shot given his team strength.

2:29 between Bernal and Caruso after stage 19. Yates is a further 20 seconds back. I don't think there has been any GC movement among the top 10.

Bernal and Martínez set up face to face on their turbo trainers, having a debrief as they warm down.

A shot of Yates celebrating his stage win.

Yates said he had a feeling Ineos would let him go and ride conservatively today.

Bernal chasing in the final kilometres of the climb.

Here's what Yates had to say after the finish...

"I’m really happy and my team did a fantastic job today; controlled at the start, worked a lot, and I managed to finish it off, so I’m really happy.

"I saw the boys from Ineos happy to ride a tempo from behind. I had a feeling they would let me go today. I read something from Egan on Twitter about how they would be more conservative rather than control and try to go with me. I had a feeling they would let me go, and as soon as I attacked, I saw that was correct and I tried to ride full gas, and that was it.

"I tried to do my best today. It was not the most difficult of stages, but a very difficult final climb. Tomorrow is very different, and a very hard stage, back in the high altitude. We will see what I can do. I’m just doing my best at the moment and happy with the stage win."

Egan Bernal's comments following stage 19...

"I felt really good and I think that I did really good numbers and a really good climb. I’m happy with my climb. Of course, Yates was the best today. I’m really happy with my condition.

"Yes, [tomorrow] I hope to have the same legs as today.. Today felt good and tomorrow, with the altitude, I hope to have the same feelings as today, and try to manage the gap that I have with the two guys on the podium. I hope I will be in pink after tomorrow, too.

"Yes, I’m really happy. I have some time to play, so I just want to have legs for the time trial, too, and everything should be ok if I’m feeling good."

Another day in pink for Bernal.

Giro d'Italia: Which GC riders lost time on stage 19 to Alpe di Mera

And here's our report on the events on stage 19 to Alpe di Mera

Here's what second-placed man Damiano Caruso had to say about today's stage. He's now 2:29 down on Bernal.

"I made the same mistake as Bernal did the other day. I did want to try at least once. I feel good. I’m alright. I suffered a lot. I understood that it wasn’t really good for me to go from a distance.

"It’s hard for me to take on the maglia rosa, and tried to keep my rhythm up, but congratulations to Yates. It was a great victory for him.

"I just had to try. I was up there, [attacking] was an opportunity, and so the right thing to do. I congratulate myself for trying."

Simon Yates celebrates his win on the podium with some kind of Kask helmet trophy. A top reward for his day's work.

A reminder, though, that Yates' prize money (and the rest of the prize money for stage 19) will be donated to the families of the victims of the Stresa cable car crash. The race passed through the town today after being rerouted to avoid the mountain on which the tragedy occurred.

We'll have more news and reaction to stage 19 coming through the evening from our reporters on the ground in Italy, Barry Ryan and Alasdair Fotheringham.