Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) has won Stage 20 of the 104th Giro d’Italia, 164km from Verbania to Valle Spluga-Alpe Motta. Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) and Daniel Felipe Martinez (Ineos Grenadiers) finished second and third, respectively. Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) retains the Maglia Rosa and leads the general classification.
The peloton set off from Verbania, on the shores of Lake Maggiore, for the penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia. Stage 20 was 164 kilometers long and featured another summit finish, atop Alpe Motta (8.1 km at 7.8%). Before this ultimate difficulty, the riders had to cross the border to Switzerland to climb the never-ending Passo San Bernardino (23.7 km at 6.2%), and the Splügenpass (8.9 km at 7.3%) at more than 2000 meters above sea level.
There was a group of 9 riders but their gap was controlled by the peloton as the GC contenders were determined to compete for the stage victory. Following a coup launched by the DSM and Bahrain teams, the breakaway was caught in the descent of the Passo San Bernardino, then ensued the fight between the men in the general classification.
The final ascent of Alpe Motta saw a duel between the leading group, led by Caruso (Bahrain) and Bardet (DSM), and the pink jersey group, which was 40 seconds behind.
Taco Vanderhorn said he saw “much tifosi along the roads encourages us to hope for a possible return to normal in the near future. There is one day of suffering left with tomorrow’s time trial, and then it will be definitely done!”
Tomorrow, the riders will close this 104th Giro d’Italia with an individual time trial of 29.4 kilometers of flat, in the metropolitan city of Milan, between Senago and Piazza del Duomo.
Stage 20 :
- Damiano Caruso
- Egan Bernal +24
- Daniel Martinez +35
Provisional GC :
- Egan Bernal
- Damiano Caruso +1:59
- Simon Yates +3:23
