Stage 19

The road

At the start

The Agnello, and two days to save it

Steven Kruijswijk has led for five days and still holds three minutes on Esteban Chaves, 3:23 on Valverde and 4:43 on Nibali, with two Alpine stages left to defend it. Today the Giro reaches its highest point — the Colle dell'Agnello at 2,744 metres, the Cima Coppi, walled in snow — then drops a long way into France for the summit finish at Risoul. Giulio Ciccone, the neo-pro who won at Sestola, does not start.

How it was won

1. 177 km to go

   The elastic snaps on the Agnello

   The attacks have been relentless from kilometre zero and only midway up the Colle dell'Agnello does anything stick: twenty-eight riders break clear on the great pass.

2. 255 km to go

   Cima Coppi in the snow

   Scarponi kicks away from Ulissi and Silin on the steepest ramps to take the Cima Coppi, riding into fog and banked snow at 2,744 metres. Behind, Chaves sets the pace in the pink jersey group and splits it; only Valverde can go with him at first.

3. 350 km to go

   Kruijswijk into the snowbank

   Fifty kilometres from Risoul, on a corner that looks like nothing, the maglia rosa overcooks it and ploughs into the wall of snow. Powder flies, the Dutchman spins across the road and his bike is wrecked. He gets up quickly; getting going again takes far longer.

4. 437 km to go

   A second stop, and the Giro drains away

   Kruijswijk has to halt again while Nibali and Chaves scythe down the fast, twisting descent. Even Valverde passes him. He catches group after group and finds nobody willing or able to help.

5. 510 km to go

   Scarponi's last favour

   Having waved his breakaway companion Monfort goodbye earlier, Michele Scarponi now paces Nibali and Chaves back up to him with ten kilometres to go — then pulls off and opens the door.

6. 67 km to go

   Two more digs and Chaves is gone

   Nibali attacks, is answered, attacks again — and the third one finally rids him of Esteban Chaves on the climb to Risoul.

7. 7At the line

   Nibali wins, the race turns upside down

   Vincenzo Nibali takes an emotional solo win at Risoul ahead of Nieve and Chaves. Kruijswijk cracks completely on the climb and loses almost five minutes: the maglia rosa goes to Chaves, Nibali moves to second at 40 seconds, and a Giro that looked finished is wide open.

The result