Stage 19

The road

At the start

Ayuso goes home, the Alps begin

Juan Ayuso climbed off on the flat road to Cesano Maderno, and UAE's second card is gone — Isaac del Toro defends pink alone, 41 seconds up on Richard Carapaz and 51 on Simon Yates. Today is 4,900 metres of climbing through the Valle d'Aosta to Champoluc, and every rider in the race knows the Colle delle Finestre comes tomorrow.

How it was won

1. 1136 km to go

   Into the Aosta giants

   On the brutal Alpine stage a break goes over the giant climbs of the Aosta valley.

2. 228 km to go

   Prodhomme rides clear

   Nicolas Prodhomme attacks the break on the final climbs and rides clear toward Champoluc for the biggest win of his career.

3. 38 km to go

   Carapaz tests Del Toro

   Behind, Carapaz attacks again and again and Del Toro clings to his wheel — but Simon Yates cannot follow, and the third man in this Giro loses half a minute he can ill afford.

4. 46 km to go

   Stalemate before the Finestre

   Neither of the two leaders can shake the other; whatever is left of this Giro will be decided tomorrow on the Finestre.

5. 5At the line

   Prodhomme solos in

   Prodhomme solos to victory at Champoluc. Del Toro keeps pink with Carapaz 43 seconds back — and Yates, dropped on the last climb, now 1:21 down.

The result