2018 Giro d'Italia Stage 20 Results & Recap
Stage 20 of the 2018 Giro d'Italia is in the books. The final results and standings are below, followed by our recap of how the race unfolded.
Race Recap
Froome locks in maglia rosa on penultimate stage\nBy Clara Beard
Despite multiple attacks from Tom Dumoulin on the final climb of the Giro d’Italia, Chris Froome maintained his composure, speed and lead in the overall competition heading into the finale day of the three-week grand tour. The multiple Tour de France champion sprinted across the line with his teammate, Wout Poels six minutes back on the stage winner, Mikel Nieve.
Nieve soloed to victory in Cervina out of the breakaway on a day that also happened to be the 34-year-old’s birthday, a consolation prize for the team that used to possess the coveted pink jersey.
“It has been a perfect day today, just the way I dreamed it and I am really happy for myself and for the team. After yesterday, it was important to bounce back and now we have to be happy with what we have achieved at the Giro,” Nieve said. “With five stage wins and so many days in the maglia rosa it has been a great Giro d’Italia for us and we have to enjoy the final day tomorrow now.”
“I won my first stage at the Giro in 2011 and now after seven years, to win again is really important for me, to show I am still with the best riders, and also for the team and I am really happy,” the Basque climber said.\n \nThe climax to the Giro d’Italia came in the form of a 214-kilometre grueling mountain stage featuring three category one climbs finishing atop Cervina. With an early breakaway of 13 riders up ahead with a gap stretching out to nine minutes at times, the race for the GC was on behind. Not only did Dumoulin have to put something out of his hat today, Richard Carapaz (Movistar) was on the hunt to claim the best young rider jersey from Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana).
Both riders tried everything they had left, however it wasn’t to be and Froome looks to be the winner of the 2018 Giro d’Italia. \n \n"I have to say a really big part of being able to do what I was able to do yesterday was everyone believing me and everyone buying into the one plan we had. A lot of times when things don't work out on the general classification for a rider, they lose a few minutes and you can see the team falls apart. Guys start going in the breaks and doing their own thing a little bit more,” Froome told Europort.
"With us it just felt like the guys got behind me every day. They were like 'listen, you've had a tough day but don't worry you'll be back tomorrow. You'll get better we believe in you.' It just feels amazing to be able to repay them after three weeks of hard work. To finish it off today is just amazing."\n
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