Things can change quickly in the third week of the Giro d'Italia. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) began Thursday's miniature epic through the Dolomites nursing concerns that his fourth place on general classification might be in danger. He ended the day within touching distance of the final podium in Milan after clawing back a minute on the men directly ahead of him in the overall standings.
Pinot had maintained a watching brief as Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) tried and failed to unsettle maglia rosa Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) on the day's third ascent, the Passo Gardena, but he unsheathed a smart attack of his own towards the top of the final climb of Pontives.
Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) came with him, and the duo had established a gap over the fragmented pink jersey group as they crested the summit with a shade over four kilometres to race. The road continued to climb, albeit more gently, thereafter, and as Dumoulin, Quintana and Nibali marked one another, Pinot and Pozzovivo stretched out their advantage.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pinot came close to catching stage winner Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Mikel Landa (Sky), the final two survivors of the early break, on the final approach to the line, but he had to settle for third on the stage, 8 seconds down. He had the considerable consolation of putting 58 seconds into Dumoulin, Quintana and Nibali, and picked up a four-second time bonus to boot.
"It was a good day and I felt good too. I'm happy to have been able to enjoy myself today and the Giro isn't over yet," Pinot said as he propped himself against a barrier just past the finish line. "I'm happy with how it went. It's a shame that I didn't manage to win the stage too, but I'm pleased apart from that.
"I thought they might watch each other a bit more in front. I think we needed another kilometre to get back on, but that's the way it goes."
- Giro d'Italia: Van Garderen wins in St. Ulrich
- Nibali annoyed by Dumoulin's 'cocky' criticism of tactics
- Giro d'Italia: Yates distances Jungels as white jersey competition comes alive
- After a slow spring, Dombrowski building form in Giro d'Italia's third week
- Giro d'Italia: Stage 18 highlights - Video
- Dumoulin: I really hope Quintana and Nibali lose their podium spots
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/2r3DREf
No comments:
Post a Comment