Forty-five minutes after stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia had ended, his day's work done, Tanel Kangert (Astana) stood alone on an outcrop above the finish at Sant'Anna di Vinadio, quietly surveying the scene below.
Merry bands of tifosi were still chanting the name of his team leader and new maglia rosa Vincenzo Nibali, who was speaking in a mobile broadcast unit near the line, while pieces of pink confetti from the podium celebrations lay sprinkled on the finishing straight.
"I have to say I was pretty emotional after the finish," Kangert told a pair of reporters who interrupted his solitary post-race recovery meal. "Normally I don't have too many emotions but today was a really hard day."
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The 134-kilometre leg from Guillestre to Sant'Anna di Vinadio included some 75 kilometres of climbing and was Nibali's final chance to dislodge Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) from the overall lead. Nibali began the day 44 seconds off the maglia rosa, and Astana's plan of attack was clear from the outset.
Much like when Fabio Aru divested Tom Dumoulin of the red jersey on the penultimate day of last year's Vuelta a España, Astana's astonishing collective strength and – relative – freshness was a key element in seizing the pink jersey.
Kangert was the man delegated to enter the day's early break for Astana, while Michele Scarponi was charged with setting the tempo for Nibali on the decisive ascent, the Colle della Lombarda. Nibali duly attacked five kilometres from the summit, and was able to rely on a lengthy turn from Kangert closer to the top.
Watch 2016 Giro d'Italia stage 21 highlights video
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