Giro 2019: Bilbao wins last mountain stage, Carapaz still in pink

The last mountain stage on the Giro serves a total of more than 5,000 vertical metres. The race comes down to a five-up sprint with Pello Bilbao taking the spoils ahead of Mikel Landa. Richard Carapaz stays in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 20th stage Giro d’Italia 2019

1. Pello Bilbao (spa)
2. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
3. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 0.02
4. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 0.04
5. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) s.t.
6. Tanel Kangert (est) + 0.15
7. Mikel Nieve (spa) s.t.
8. Valentin Madouas (fra) + 0.25
9. Rafal Majka (pol) + 0.44
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.

11. Pavel Sivakov (rus) + 0.48
12. Simon Yates (gbr) s.t.
13. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
14. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.54
15. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 1.10
18. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 1.49
20. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 2.18
33. Davide Formolo (ita) + 12.50

GC after stage 20
1. Richard Carapaz (ecu)
2. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.54
3. Mikel Landa (spa) + 2.53
4. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 3.16
5. Bauke Mollema (nld) + 5.51
6. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 7.18
7. Rafal Majka (pol) + 7.28
8. Simon Yates (gbr) + 8.01
9. Pavel Sivakov (rus) + 9.11
10. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 12.50

11. Hugh Carthy (gbr) + 15.57

Race report
On the first climb, Cima Campo, Pello Bilbao jumps clear. Manuel Caruso bridges across with Andrey Amador, Fausto Masnada, Eros Capecchi, Tanel Kangert, Mikel Nieve, Amanuel Gebreigzabhier, Eddie Dunbar, Ilnur Zakarin and Jai Hindley in tow, while Dario Cataldo joins them later.

Masnada goes solo at the foot of the Passo Manghen. Astana ups the pace before Miguel Ángel López strikes with Mikel Landa and Richard Carapaz on his wheel. The three regain contact with the remains of the front group just before the summit.

Masnada crests the Manghen 1.30 minutes ahead of the maglia rosa group. Primoz Roglic, Vincenzo Nibali and Pavel Sivakov are close behind before they rejoin them in the descent.

Some thirty riders in the valley before Nieve and Bilbao open up a gap, while Kangert, Gebreigzabhier and Dunbar bridge across. Madouas, Ciccone and Capecchi chase them down on the Passo Rolle before the eight reach the summit 2.30 minutes ahead of the GC riders.

Madouas heads out alone on the Passo Croce d’Aune, while López strikes twice on the lower slopes, but he can’t force a gap. Landa counter-attacks and he reaches the summit 50 seconds behind Madouas. The maglia rosa group is 20 seconds further back.

Nibali rejoins Landa in the descent with Carapaz on his wheel, while López collides with a running spectator on the first slopes of the final climb. The Colombian is forced to chase.

Nieve, Bilbao and Ciccone rejoin Madouas with 4 kilometres to go and Carapaz, Landa, Nibali and Kangert make contact a little later. Nibali accelerates inside the last 2 kilometres, but Carapaz closes down the gap.

Landa opens the sprint from far out with Bilbao in his wheel. The others can’t follow and Bilbao wins his second stage on this Giro. Carapaz finishes fourth and he still leads almost 2 minutes ahead of Nibali. Roglic drops back to fourth at more than 3 minutes, while Landa moves up to third.

After the race Roglic receives a 10 seconds penalty for being pushed by a ‘fan’ on the penultimate climb.

Another interesting read: route 20th stage 2019 Giro d’Italia 2019.