Steven Kruijswijk crash

Italy’s Vincenzo Nibali of Astana escaped alone to a summit-finish victory in the 19th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday whilst Colombia’s Esteban Chaves rode into the pink jersey by coming third on the day.

Pre-race favourite Nibali had been thought to be dead and buried on this Giro after dropping to fifth, but is now just 44seconds off new leader Chavez, in second place, ahead of another mountain stage on Saturday.

Overnight leader Steven Kruijswijk finished almost five minutes off the pace after surviving a spectacular head-over-heels fall on the descent of the Col d’Agnel but then getting dropped badly on the last climb. 

Results from the 19th stage of the 2016 Giro d’Italia on Friday, a 162km mountain run from Pinerolo to a summit finish at Risoul.

Stage 19

1. Vincezo Nibali 4hr 19min 54sec, 2. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) at 51sec, 3. Esteban Chaves (COL/ORI) 53, 4. Diego Ulissi (ITA/LAM) 1:02, 5. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 2:14, 6. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) same time, 7. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) s.t., 8. Georg Preidler (AUT/GIA) 2:43, 9. Nicolas Roche (IRL/SKY) 2:51, 10. Hubert Dupont (FRA/ALM) s.t.

Overall standings

1. Esteban Chaves (COL/ORI) 78hr 14min 20sec, 2. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) at 44sec, 3. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 1min 05sec, 4. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 1:48, 5. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 3:59, 6. Bob Jungels (LUX/ETI) 7:53, 7. Andrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 9:34, 8. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) 12:18, 9. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/DDT) 13:19, 10. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 14:11

– Agence France-Presse

- Advertisement -

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR