Vincenzo Nibali calmly rode towards to the Bahrain-Merida team bus after the hectic finish in Bergamo, smoothly avoiding the tifosi and media yet again.
After Saturday's stage to Oropa, Nibali was angry and disappointed to have lost 43 seconds to Dumoulin in the final two kilometres and did not stop until he reached the team bus four kilometres down the climb. Today, he eventually eased after 300 metres, gradually coming to a halt and sharing his thoughts with members of the media fast and fit enough to pursue him. He was happy but also resigned to the fact that the 100th Giro d'Italia could be slipping out of his reach.
"My legs felt good today and so I had a go," he said calmly about the stage.
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"The climb up to Bergamo Alto suited a late attack and so I had to go. Of course, my rivals didn't let me get away but I was happy to have tried."
Nibali seems to need an attack or a good performance to boost his moral, even if it gains him little or nothing. His Sicilian pride drives his ambition, while a defeat always appears to hurt his self-confidence.
Saturday hurt his pride hard. He was simply unable to respond when Dumoulin and other riders kicked again in the final two kilometres of the fast climb to Oropa. If the climb had been even longer he could have lost more than 43 seconds and lost any chance of winning the Giro d'Italia for the third time.
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