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Froome closes in on Giro victory after final day in the mountains

Mikel Nieve gives Mitchelton-Scott fifth stage win

May 26, 2018
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Chris Froome has one hand on the distinctive Giro d’Italia trophy after resisting a few Tom Dumoulin surges on the final climb of Saturday’s last GC day. Barring disaster on Sunday’s final stage, the Briton will go on to win the last three consecutive Grand Tours. Mikel Nieve gave Mitchelton-Scott its fifth stage win of the race by soloing to victory out of a breakaway. It’s Nieve’s third career Giro stage win.

The Course

The final GC day of the 101st Giro d’Italia began with 130-km of flat riding before three consecutive Cat. 1 climbs: the Col Tsecore, the Col de Saint-Pantaléon and then the haul to Cervinia, a mild 19-km of five percent. Surely a GC move had to be made on one of first two ascents.



Woods In the Breakaway

What started off as a quintet of breakaways established after 10-km became a whole raft of them: 27 riders including Canadian Michael Woods, in 21st place for the last two days. With Astana and Movistar leading the peloton, the fugitives’ gap never got much beyond 5:00 until the second mountain. There was a decanting on the Tsecore, with Woods part of the new 11 that lipped over the top. Back in the peloton, the sad figure of Simon Yates dropped off the back of the peloton.

Col de Saint-Pantaléon

On the descent of the Tsecore, Stage 10 winner Matej Mohoric plummeted into the lead.

Behind, third place Thibaut Pinot had a problem as soon as the Saint-Pantaléon began and was soon far began. The best young rider competition between Astana’s fourth place Angel Lopez and Movistar’s fifth place Richard Carapaz had new impetus. Astana continued to drive the bus and Pinot retched up energy gels.

Woods and five others caught and dispatched Mohoric, but Woods and Giulio Ciccone couldn’t keep up. Spaniard Mikel Nieve, finally let off the leash now that both Mitchelton-Scott’s GC hopes had come to grief, was the first rider over the second mountain.

The Final Mountain of the 2018 Giro d’Italia

Nieve headed skyward with over a minute’s gap over his closest pursuers and 7:20 over the peloton. Movistar grabbed the reins of the peloton, unhitching early pink wearer Rohan Dennis.

Dumoulin attacked in the first third of the climb, but Froome and a handful of others reached him easily. Another couple of thrusts were parried before it was Froome dropping Dumoulin. Lopez and Carapaz started taking whacks at one another, their caginess allowing the Dutchman to rejoin.

With Nieve already celebrating 3-km up the road, Carapaz attacked but he couldn’t escape the attentions of Lopez. Colombian Angel “Superman” Lopez will stand on his first Grand Tour final podium in Rome. There have been Colombians on five of the last six Grand Tour podiums. Dumoulin didn’t bother attacking anymore, but his pace brought back Carapaz and Lopez before he faded to lose six seconds.

Dumoulin’s feelings were clear after the stage.

Pinot and Dennis came in in a large pack +45:32.

Woods placed 22nd on the day and will just eke into the top-20 on GC.

Sunday is the processional into Rome, where Elia Viviani will try to earn a handful of 2018 Giro stage victories.

2018 Giro d’Italia Stage 19
1) Mikel Nieve (Spain/Mitchelton-Scott) 5:43:48
2) Robert Gesink (The Netherlands/LottoNL-Jumbo) +2:17
3) Felix Grossschartner (Austria/Bora-Hansgrohe) +2:42
22) Michael Woods (Canada/EF-Drapac) +10:09

2018 Giro d’Italia GC
1) Chris Froome (Great Britain/Sky) 86:11:50
2) Tom Dumoulin (The Netherlands/Sunweb) +0:46
3) Angel Lopez (Colombia/Astana) +4:57
20) Michael Woods (Canada/EF-Drapac) +101:24

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