Just 17km separate Richard Carapaz from victory in the 2019 Giro d’Italia, with the 26-year-old Movistar rider set to become the first Ecuadorian rider to win the Corsa Rosa if he can safely negotiate the final individual time trial around Verona on Sunday.
Carapaz finished fourth overall in 2018, but was not considered amongst the big-name contenders before the start in Bologna three weeks ago. He has carefully built his 1:54 lead on Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) and 2:53 on Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) by attacking while the two squabbled and marked each other, not realizing their were giving away precious seconds that would prove impossible to take back once Movistar backed Carapaz rather than Mikel Landa as their team leader.
On Saturday Carapaz never looked in trouble as he, Landa and Movistar bossed the peloton as if they were Chris Froome and Team Ineos. The pair chased down an attack by Miguel Ángel López (Astana) over the stunning Passo Manghen in the southern Dolomites and then the Spanish team dragged the peloton up the Passo Rolle and down the long, fast descent to the foot of the Croce d’Aune-Monte Avena double whammy final climb. Nibali tried to test the pair's resolve as he dispatched of Roglič, while López was brought down by a spectator, but yet again Carapaz avoided any problems and was able to benefit for other people’s rivalries.
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The 17km Verona time trial was expected to decide the 2019 Giro d’Italia, just as it famously did in 1984, when Francesco Moser followed-up on his infamous Mexico Hour Record to finally win the Giro d’Italia, pulling back 2:21 on Laurent Fignon. However such is Carapaz's margin that not even a low-flying helicopter can deny him at the last in Verona. He would have to crash had and lose almost two minutes for Nibali to have any chance of beating him.
"I don't think I will lose that much time, but anything can happen in the last stage," Carapaz said. "But I think it's OK for now."
Nibali was unable to find a chink in the Movistar armour on stage 20. The 34-year-old had quietly hoped Landa would rebel against team orders, but the Basque rider was hugged and thanked by Carapaz after the stage finish at Croce d’Aune-Monte Avena for his loyalty to the cause.
A fast, technical course and a finish in the Roman amphitheatre
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/verona-time-trial-to-crown-carapaz-as-giro-ditalia-winner-preview
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