UAE Team Emirates rider Rui Costa claimed his third runner-up finish of the 2017 Giro d’Italia, completing Stage 19 one minute and 49 seconds behind winner Mikel Landa of Team Sky.
Costa was leading the 191 kilometre stage from San Candido to Piancavallo before Landa attacked 10km from the summit going solo for most of the climb to finish nearly two minutes ahead of his Portuguese rival.
In the battle for the Genral Classification, Movistar’s Nairo Quintana took possession of the Giro d’Italia pink jersey from Tom Dumoulin.
“I had circled today’s stage in my calendar, it was a good course for me and the first part of the race was going to plan,” Costa said.
“Then the situation changed when the top rider group bridged the gap from the breakaway so we had to start all over again to pull away from them. I managed to attack once again and stayed with Landa when he counter-attacked on the final climb. I tried to stay with him but today, Landa was stronger.
“There is still one more stage suitable for attacks and although I used a lot of energy today and yesterday, I will try to do my best.”
Saturday’s Stage 20 will see the last climb of the 100th Giro d’Italia before the final Individual Time Trial into Milan on Sunday. Starting in Pordenone, the 190km route finishes in Asiago with one wall and two long ascents.
The Muro di Ca’del Poggio has an average gradient of 12.2 per cent but goes up to 18 per cent, next the Monte Grappa has an elevation of 1,620m and finally the Foza, the last climb is crested at 1,086m, the finish line is around 15km later after a rolling section on the Asiago plateau.
* Agencies
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