“It was not easy to make the difference – explains Vincenzo Nibali – because the pink jersey and his team kept the race always controlled, imposing an important rhythm in the first two climbs”.
“In the end, I tried several times to attack but Carapaz showed he deserved first place. I have no regrets in this Giro, every day I tried to interpret the race better and tomorrow I hope to make a good ITT and to confirm my second place”.
“They just told me what happened to Miguel Angel Lopez – always Nibali – and once again I want to invite the fans to respect the riders. It is right to incite the runners but remaining on the sides of the road and not touching them or pushing them so that such serious events do not happen again”.
Spaniard Pello Bilbao won the last mountain stage, while Ecuadorian Carapaz retained the pink jersey with a 1:54 lead on the eve of the last ITT 17km stage in Verona.
“It was a very tough stage as expected – says SD Alberto Volpi – the race immediately started on the first ascent and we were with the first, Vincenzo managed better, he was with the other favorites until he tried on the penultimate climbs gaining importantseconds over Primo Roglic. Overall, Vincenzo has again demonstrated that he is still a great champion and I must also thank his teammates for the great work they have done”.
General classification after stage 20
1 Richard Carapaz (Ecu) Movistar Team 89:38:28
2 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida 0:01:54
3 Mikel Landa (Spa) Movistar Team 0:02:53
4 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 0:03:16
5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-Segafredo 0:05:51
6 Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team 0:07:18
7 Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:07:28
8 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:08:01
9 Pavel Sivakov (Rus) Team Ineos 0:09:11
10 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:12:50
11 Hugh John Carthy (GBr) EF Education First 0:15:57
12 Joe Dombrowski (USA) EF Education First 0:20:12
