As it happened: Giro d'Italia stage 14 race against the clock for the general classification

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Ganna manages to take the stage after Pogačar pushed him all the way with another astonishing performance

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Buongiorno and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 14 of the 2024 Giro d'Italia!

The riders go back against the clock in this year's race with the second individual time trial of the race. This time, however, there is no climb at the end of the stage for Pogačar (UAD) to blow the opposition away. 

Pogačar (UAD) has a commanding lead as we go into the penultimate weekend of the race with +2'40" over Daniel Martínez (BOH) and +2'56" over last year's runner-up, Geraint Thomas (IGD).

The jerseys:

The first rider off the ramp today is Arkea-Samsic's Alan Riou. He sets off at 12:40 UK time, so just half an hour from now. 

Riders to watch for the stage today (Italian time):

One non-starter today. That is Bahrain Victorious' sprinter, Phil Bauhaus. Allegedly because the final eight stages don't suit him. He must not have seen the profile for stages 18 and 21, then. 

The stage profile makes the stage look like a perfect flat power-mans course, but, the route is up and down all day with several tight turns. It may not be as clear cut for Ganna (IGD) as the profile first suggests. 

First rider off the ramp

An early outsider for today, Josef Cerny (SOQ), has just set off on his ride. He is the third rider off the ramp. They set off every minute until the rider in 16th place. After him, it is every three minutes. 

The race heads to Lake Garda today. One of Italy's largest lakes. Also, an absolutely stunning part of the world. I went on a family holiday back in 2007 where we had several massive electric storms almost every evening. An amazing place, though. 

Hardly any wind at all today with a very pleasant temperature of 22.5°c. 

Cerny (SOQ) is already gaining on his minute man of Dekker (ARK). A catch will likely come in the next few kilometres. 

Cerny (SOQ) has taken 1'30" out of the next best time. He has caught Dekker (ARK) and is well on his way to catch Riou (ARK). He will, once again, be the first man to finish after not being the first to start. 

Two other outsiders have set off. Max Walscheid (JAY) and Daan Hoole (LTK). Two very strong riders that could put in a big ride here. 

Ryan Mullen (BOH) sets off but the way he has set off looks very relaxed so the Irish national time trial champion will be focusing on tomorrow and his leader, Dani Martínez. 

Edoardo Affini (TVL) sets off on his ride. Definitely a top TT rider and should be right up there today. 

Cerny (SOQ) has passed Riou (ARK) now and is the first man on the road. Meanwhile, Walscheid (JAY) has overtaken Cimolai (MOV). 

Hoole (LTK) slots in +16" down on Cerny (SOQ) at the first time check. In between them is Walscheid (JAY) who is +14" down. 

Affini (TVL) has gone +8" down on Cerny (SOQ) at the first split, interestingly. He is the local lad today and wants to put in a big performance. Cerny (SOQ) has just gone through the second time check. 

The points jersey, Jonathan Milan (LTK), sets off on his ride and he looks very relaxed as he roles down the ramp. What a race he has been having. 

Tim van Dijke (TVL) sets off. Definitely a rider to get a top 10 potentially, today. 

Josef Cerny (SOQ) finishes first today with a time of 36'58" with a 50.6kph average speed. A solid ride by the former Czech national champion. Probably not a winning time, but a top 10 isn't out of the question. 

Daan Hoole (LTK) goes fastest at the 2nd split by 7" on Cerny (SOQ). 

Edoardo Affini (TVL) goes 4" faster than Hoole (LTK) at the second check. He is the fastest man on course at the moment. 

Max Walscheid (JAY) goes fastest by 8" on Cerny (SOQ). 

Former world time trial champion, Tobias Foss (IGD), has set off. 

Walscheid (JAY) has jut finished but he has already been bumped down to second in the standings as Daan Hoole (LTK) takes 9" off the big German's time. For all the up-to-date times across the stage, make sure you keep an eye on the graphics just above these updates. 

Filippo Ganna (IGD) sets off! Can the Italian time trial champion take his first win of the season? 

New fastest time! Edoardo Affini (TVL) 9" quicker than Hoole (LTK). 51.42kph average speed for the local Italian TT specialist. 

Another big challenger today, Mikkel Bjerg (UAD), sets off. He does look to be having a go as he wants to make the Danish Olympic squad so has, once again, been given freedom to go for the day. 

Lorenzo Milesi (MOV) appears to be putting in a good ride today. The world U23 time trial champion is fighting for the lead. He was just 9" down at the first split. He is joint first at the second split alongside Affini (TVL). 

Ganna (IGD) goes fastest at the first time check by 13". Cerny (SOQ) no longer holds the lead at the first split. The Czech rider really went flying out of the blocks and may have suffered for it later. 

Bjerg (UAD) goes into 3rd at the time check. He is +30" down on Ganna (IGD). 

Lorenzo Milesi (MOV) just misses out on the lead by +2" on Edoardo Affini (TVL). A brilliant ride by the U23 world time trial champion. 

Stefan De Bod (EFE) sets off. Top 10 on the cards for the South African. 

Tobias Foss (IGD) goes fastest at the 2nd split by 4" over Milesi (MOV) and Affini (TVL). 

10km to go for Ganna (IGD). 

Benjamin Thomas (COF) sets off on his ride. 

Ganna (IGD) goes fastest by 59" over teammate, Foss. Wow. He is flying! 

Bjerg (UAD) is +55" down on Ganna (IGD) at the time split. He sits second at the moment. 

Tobias Foss (IGD) comes to the line and goes fastest by 4" over Affini (TVL). The former world champion should be happy with that. He won't be staying first at this rate. 

Filippo Ganna (IGD) goes fastest by a massive 1'26" over his teammate, Foss. What a ride. 53.4kph average speed. Goodness me. 

Now then, on the start ramp it is Australian national TT champion. Luke Plapp (JAY) sets off on his ride. 

Mikkel Bjerg (UAD) coming in to the finish, he isn't battling for the win. He has set a good ride, though. +1'28" down on Ganna (IGD) putting him in third, for now. 

Relive the final few 100 metres of Ganna's ride 

Plapp (JAY) goes through the first time check at +17" down on Ganna (IGD).

Julian Alaphilippe (SOQ) sets off on his time trial in his road aero helmet, interestingly. He did that in the prologue at the Tour de Romandie last month. 

One more outsider off the ramp. The American Will Barta (MOV). He has come second in a Grand Tour ITT when he was beaten by Primoz Roglic at the Vuelta a few years back. 

Former Slovenian national champion, Jan Tratnik (TVL) sets off. He is not wearing the new polarising Giro helmet but the old style.

Another big favourite for today, Magnus Sheffield (IGD) sets off. The American star powers off the ramp and looks up for it. A key man for Geraint Thomas is not holding himself back to support his leader in the 'Queen Stage' tomorrow. 

Plapp (JAY) goes +57" down on Ganna (IGD) at the second split. 

According to the GPS tracker, Sheffield (IGD) was 4" faster than his teammate, Ganna, after the first 4km of riding. We shall wait and see what the first time check says. 

Barta (MOV) not having a good start. He is well over a minute down at the first time check. 

Tratnik (TVL) is in the fight. He is 10th at the first split at +30" down on Ganna (IGD). 

Magnus Sheffield (IGD) goes through the first time check just +5" down on teammate Filippo Ganna. The American is looking very good. 

Plapp (JAY) finishes +1'18" down on Ganna (IGD). That is the new second best time. Strong effort from the Australian national time trial champion. 

Max Schachmann (BOH) sets off on his ride. 

Sheffield (IGD) passses Großschartner (UAD) on the road. The Austrian climber is a key man for Tadej Pogačar in the mountains so won't be riding flat out today. 

Magnus Sheffield (IGD) is 2nd at the 2nd check by +39" on Ganna (IGD). The American is losing time but still looking solid. 

Crash!

Sheffield (IGD) and time trials and Italy! He had a very similar crash at Tirreno-Adriatico earlier this year on his left side. So frustrating for him. 

Tratnik (TVL) goes 10th at +2'00" on Ganna (IGD). 

Magnus Sheffield (IGD) finishes in 7th, +1'35" down on Ganna (IGD). He was on for 2nd place but that crash has seen him lose out on the podium spot. 

Jan Hirt (SOQ) sets off on his ride. He is 11th in GC just +5" behind Arensman (IGD). 

Into the top 10 we go! 

9th in GC, Einer Rubio (MOV), sets off. He will be worried about the riders behind him in the GC today. It is almost certain that Arensman (IGD) will jump above him at the very least. 

Filippo Zana (JAY) is 8th in GC and just 4" behind 7th in GC, Lorenzo Fortunato (AST). He sets off now. 

First time check for Arensman (IGD). He goes +11" down on Ganna (IGD) and settles into third. The top three are held by Ineos Grenadiers at the first check. Meanwhile, Fortunato (AST) sets off. 

Romain Bardet (DFP) sets off on his ride. He isn't a good TTer, we shall wait and see how he performs. 

Into the top five in GC and the best young rider, Antonio Tiberi (TBV), sets off on his ride. He usually puts in a solid ride. 

Zana (JAY) doing very well at the first split and just slotting in 11th just +29" on Ganna (IGD). But, Arensman (IGD), has taken time early on. 

Ben O'Connor (DAT) sets off! What can he do today? Well, he will be hoping to, at the very least, hold onto his current GC position. But, ideally, he will move up. 

Fortunato (AST) is losing +52" on Ganna (IGD). That is the same as Rubio (MOV). They are both losing +41" on Arensman (IGD). 

Into the top three... Geraint Thomas (IGD) sets off just +16" down on second place. 

Frustrating start for Bardet (DFP). He is +52" down on Ganna (IGD) at the first check. Same as Fortunato (AST) and Rubio (MOV). 

Second overall, Dani Martínez (BOH), sets off. The Colombian time trial champion launches his attack on stage 14. 

Very good ride by Tiberi (TBV). He is +17" down on Ganna (IGD), just losing +6" to Arensman (IGD) and is on the same time as Plapp (JAY) at the first time check. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) sets off on his ride. It's back in the purple shorts in the race organisers skinsuit once again. 

The second time check for Arensman (IGD) and he is 3rd at +47" on Ganna (IGD). Very solid from him. 

Wow! Ben O'Connor (DAT) is just +15" down on Ganna (IGD) at the first time check. Not losing anything to Tiberi (TBV). Losing +4" to Arensman (IGD). 

Geraint Thomas (IGD) goes third at the first split just +11" down on Ganna (IGD). Same time as Arensman (IGD). 

Dani Martínez (BOH) is +30" down on Ganna (IGD) and losing +19" to Thomas (IGD). The Welshman, as it stands, is moving back up to second above the Colombian. 

Thymen Arensman (IGD) has flown here and finished 2nd at +1'07" down on Ganna (IGD). That will be a big move up the GC for him. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) goes FASTEST at the first time check! Surely not again!

Ganna (IGD) watching Pogačar (UAD) and looking miserable as he will be thinking that lightning will be striking twice.  

Einer Rubio (MOV) finished +4'06" down in 39th. Not ideal at all from him. Out on course, Bardet (DFP) is +2'30" down at the second check. 

Filippo Zana (JAY) finishes +2'32" in 19th. That is very solid from him. He takes +1'30" on Rubio (MOV). 

Tiberi (TBV) is +56" down at the second split. 

Ben O'Connor is +1'01" down at the second split. Very good riding by the Australian. 

Fortunato (AST) is losing a place to Zana (JAY) as well as Arensman (IGD), I believe. Fortunato (AST) finished +3'50" down on Ganna (IGD). 

Geraint Thomas (IGD) is bang on the same as Arensman (IGD) +47" down on Ganna (IGD). 

Romain Bardet (DFP) has lost over two minutes to Arensman (IGD).

Antonio Tiberi (TBV) finishes +1'19" down on Ganna (IGD) in 4th place provisionally. What an effort. 

Dani Martínez (BOH) losing +1'19" at the second check on Ganna (IGD). Looks like Thomas (IGD) is definitely moving back to second in GC. 

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) is no longer leading at the second check. He is +10" down on Ganna (IGD). 

Ben O'Connor (DAT) finishes +1'25" down on Ganna (IGD). He loses +6" to Tiberi (TBV). Brilliant ride. 

Geraint Thomas (IGD) finishes +1'14" down on his teammate, Ganna (IGD). He will be going back up to 2nd in GC. 

It does look as though Ganna (IGD) will hold onto the win. But it is close between him and Pogačar (UAD). 

Dani Martínez (BOH) finishes +1'45" down on Ganna (IGD), +31" lost to Thomas (IGD). He slips to third in GC.

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) finishes +29" down on Ganna (IGD). He gains more time in the GC with more than three minutes gap between him and Thomas (IGD) now. 

Filippo Ganna (IGD) wins stage 14 of the Giro d'Italia 2024. Of course he does. What a ride. But, Tadej Pogačar (UAD) really will have worried him at that first split. 

S14 top 10

Filippo Ganna (IGD) speaking after today's stage win:

GC after S14

Have a read of our post race report by clicking the link below...

Tadej Pogačar (UAD) goes into the final stage of week two with almost four minutes of an advantage over Geraint Thomas (IGD). He is looking extremely comfortable in the race lead. 

That brings our live page to a close for today. Make sure to come back tomorrow for what has been billed as the 'Queen Stage' of this year's Giro. It should be a cracker. But until then, have a lovely rest of your Saturday. Goodbye. 

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