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
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.
Here's how things stand on GC
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
Five out front with a slim gap.
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
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.
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.
156km remaining from 191km
Here's a first shot of the break
The 14-strong lead group now has an advantage of more than four minutes over the peloton.
As promised, here's the story on Dumoulin and Nibali.
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
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.
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.
I think the time gaps we're getting should be taken with a pinch of salt. It's back up to a minute according to the official GPS.
113km remaining from 191km
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
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.
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.
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
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
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
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
86km remaining from 191km
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.
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.
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
61km remaining from 191km
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
The chasing group is nearly there.
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
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 gap is up to 11:45 as the peloton continues to stroll along casually.
So, who's your pick for the stage win?
Whoever does win, and whichever of the GC contenders wants to take time behind, will have to conquer this climb to Piancavallo.
26km remaining from 191km
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
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 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
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
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
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
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.
Quintana and co are approaching the 14% ramps. Surely an attack will come there.
6km remaining from 191km
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
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
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.
And now we return to the GC race down the road.
Dumoulin is 30 seconds behind Quintana/Nibali.
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.
Seven riders in this Quintana/Nibali group. Pinot, we remind you, is still up the road.
We haven't got any time gaps here, so we'll only get them on the line.
Nibali attacks!
Quintana goes with him. Mollema, Yates, Jungels and Hirt are in the group and they get on the wheel.
Nibali is pushing on, Quintana taking the ride. He could be riding into pink.
The gradients are much flatter in the final couple of kilometres as we see Pinot come towards the finish.
Pinot gives it everything as he comes to the line. He gained time yesterday and he's doing it again today. Another strong display from the Frenchman.
Here come Zakarin and Pozzovivo. They're 6 seconds back on Pinot.
A few seconds later we have Quintana and Nibali et al.
And now Dumoulin. He's knackered but he's fighting.
He's going to lose the jersey.
He crosses the line and he's lost a minute to Quintana.
Nairo Quintana is the new leader of the Giro d'Italia
Quintana leads the race by 38 seconds from Dumoulin. Nibali is third at 43 seconds.
What a day...
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
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
So, where does that leave us?
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.
Dumoulin speaks
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.
And now we hear from Landa
Quintana is back in pink
And here are Quintana's thoughts
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.
We've gathered all the snap post-stage reaction into one handy place:
And here is out stage report, with full results and photos. We'll have video highlights on the way soon, too.
This is what lies in store tomorrow.
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.
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.
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