LIVE – Giro (20th stage): Thunderbolt, Roglic overthrows Thomas despite a mechanical problem

At the microphone of Eurosport: “It’s something incredible. It’s not a victory story, but a personal story. It was a moment to live and remember. I had a chain jump but I’m not panicked and I left. It’s not something we had planned, but it happened. I had the legs and the Slovenian public present here gave me a few more watts, I flew. There is still a day to wait, the gap is still small, but it looks good.”

The Frenchman passed Eddie Dunbar in the general classification and secured his blue jersey in the mountain classification. A great way to end your story with the Giro.

He was 26 seconds behind before this time and took 40 from Geraint Thomas! Tomorrow he will win the first Tour of Italy of his career. After so many failures on the Giro and elsewhere, a reputation as a cursed rider, the Slovenian again almost lost everything on bad luck during his chain jump. It is an improbable and breathtaking turn of events.

GERAINT THOMAS DIDN’T KEEP! HE FINISHES 40 SECONDS FROM PRIMOZ ROGLIC AND LOSES THE GIRO! It’s unlikely, the turnaround is crazy! Primoz Roglic had to change bikes due to a mechanical problem in this last lap!

THE GPS ANNOUNCES THE BRITISH VERY FAR! ROGLIC IS WINNING THIS GIRO DESPITE HIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM!

THE SLOVENIAN HAD FIRE LEGS! Despite a change of bike due to a mechanical problem, he took the best time by a wide margin, 42 seconds ahead of Almeida.

The GPS announces 15 seconds ahead of Geraint Thomas, despite the chain jump!

The Portuguese puts 13 seconds in Caruso. He consolidates his podium, but it will probably be too tight to get the first two.

He only had 10 seconds left to resume, when he had his chain jump…

Thibaut Pinot will not win this stage, he is beaten by 4 seconds by Damiano Caruso. Pinot will however finish 5th in the general classification!

PRIMOZ ROGLIC IS CURSED! Because of the state of the road, he is the victim of a chain jump. He has to change his bike and gets pushed by his mechanics, but he has lost a lot of time…

It takes 32 seconds for Sepp Kuss! The visual impression is for the Slovenian, who seems to be going faster than Geraint Thomas. The Giro may be rocking! He also ensures his best climber’s jersey.

WHAT A CHRONO OF FRENCH! IT IS PROVISIONAL BEST TIME, 6 SECONDS AHEAD OF KUSS! He remains ahead of Arensman overall and will pass Dunbar. He will finish 5th overall!

He finished strong, 13 seconds behind Kuss. He was only 3 seconds behind Thibaut Pinot, who won’t have to drag to stay ahead.

They scrutinize the gaps between the Slovenian and Geraint Thomas.

17 seconds behind Kuss, the only one ahead of the Frenchman. Thibaut Pinot is on his way to the top 5 of this Giro, Dunbar is 1’10 behind!

At the first intermediate, the Frenchman is virtually 5th overall since he was 17 seconds behind at the start.

Despite the loss of time changing bikes, the Welshman is in the game. He is still 24 seconds ahead of the Slovenian!

Big waste of time for the Briton, who did not rush. However, he is only 26 seconds ahead of Roglic!

He is 4 seconds faster than Joao Almeida!

The Portuguese will ensure his podium and why not grab a place if one of the first two gives up a lot of time.

The Slovenian must now make the difference in the climb.

The Jumbo-Visma climber is ahead of his compatriot Brandon McNulty by 2 seconds!

On the flat part of this time trial, Thibaut Pinot did better than expected! 4th provisional time, he is ahead of Thymen Arensman, who aims to pass him.

The Briton, too, has never won the Tour of Italy. Serene pink jersey for several days, he must conclude today.

The Slovenian has never won the Giro: he has the opportunity to do so today, provided he takes 26 seconds from Geraint Thomas.

We now expect more than two riders: Primoz Roglic then Geraint Thomas, who are separated by only 26 seconds in the general classification.

The last five runners start now. The Irishman, 17 seconds ahead of Thibaut Pinot, will try to keep his place in the top five overall.

New fastest time for Brandon McNulty, beating teammate Jay Vine by 46 seconds. He signs a reference time which will not be easy to find.

The Frenchman is 6th overall before this time. He is 17 seconds behind Eddie Dunbar, 5th, but also only 3 seconds ahead of Thymen Arensman, 7th and started just before him.

He is 24 seconds ahead of his teammate Jay Vine. The American could sign a new reference time at the top.

The Australian held on! He was 51 seconds ahead of Riccitello at the foot of the climb, he kept 3 until the finish line. It’s the new best time.

It is the 10th of the general classification. There are only 9 runners left to go.

Joao Almeida’s teammate is setting a big time. He has the best time in the first two intermediates, but is only 10 seconds ahead of Riccitello who made a big climb. It’s gonna be tight.

The 21-year-old rider from the Israel-Premier Tech team has by far the best provisional time of this time, 1’57” ahead of Thomas Champion. It is the best climbers, among the top 15 overall, who will have to find their time.

When starting the final climb, all the riders change mounts and opt for a mountain bike rather than a chrono one.

With more than 40 minutes before their start time, the favorites in the general classification have already started their warm-up. We recall that Geraint Thomas, Primoz Roglic (+26”) and Joao Almeida (+59”) stand in less than a minute before this time.

Given the profile of this last time trial, which is very mountainous, the American from the Jumbo-Visma team is a real candidate for victory. In recent days, he has impressed on the mountain stages. From now on, runners leave every 3 minutes.

The French time trial champion, 5th in the Cesena time trial on this Giro, is gone. After him, there will remain the first 15 in the general classification.

Thibault Guernalec is beaten on the line by his compatriot Thomas Champion (Cofidis), who beats him by 19 seconds! Accustomed to taking the breakaway, the Frenchman will be on the podium tomorrow in Rome to receive the “Prix de la Fuga”, which rewards the rider who has spent the most kilometers in front (within the limit of 10 riders).

We remind you that it is currently the Frenchman from Arkéa, Thibault Guernalec, who has the best time in 48’35”. But this one will quickly fall.

José Joaquin Rojas will be the first of the 40 runners in the second session to start, at 1:50 p.m. There will be some times to follow like those of Alexander Jefferson Cepeda, Ben Healy or Bauke Mollema.

The runners descend with the gondola, reserved this time for participants in the Tour of Italy, contrary to the controversy during the descent from Gran Sasso on the day of the 7th stage. Mark Cavendish, who will aim for the last stage tomorrow, was for example alone with his bike to descend.

Thibault Guernalec set the best time of the first session in 48’35”, i.e. 1 minute 41 better than Stephen Williams. The differences are substantial even if this is only an indication for the moment since it is the worst ranked in the general. These, despite the slopes, have in any case had fun with the public, like the wheelies of Laurenz Rex. In any case, it will be necessary not to make a mistake in gear for the favorites as did the Spaniard Albert Torres, who struggled to finish.

The Breton rider Thibault Guernalec (Arkéa Samsic) passes the first intermediate in 14’48”, but Filippo Fiorelli (Bardiani CSF-Faizanè) obtains the best time in the end over the 18.6 km. The Italian finishes in 50′ 35″.

Monte Lussari is as expected extremely difficult for climbers to climb.

For Alberto Contador, this is undoubtedly the toughest mountain time in the history of a Grand Tour.

Primoz Roglic, who has not won a stage since the start of the Tour of Italy, has bet a lot on this Monte Lussari time. According to his teammate Koen Bouwman, the Slovenian has already been to the pass several times since this winter, both running and walking. For his part, Geraint Thomas would not have recognized the difficulty before this Saturday.

Third at 59 seconds, Joao Almeida can still dream of winning this Tour of Italy. Overthrown by Tadej Pogacar on the clock of the Planche des Belles-Filles in 2020 on the Tour de France, Primoz Roglic this time has 26 seconds to recover on Geraint Thomas. At 37, the Welshman has the opportunity to become the second oldest rider to win a Grand Tour, five years after his Tour de France.

The day promises to be very special with three waves of runners who will set off, with breaks of almost 50 minutes between each of them to allow the organization to bring down the motorcycles, the only ones able to reach the the Monte Lussari to accompany the runners! Geraint Thomas will be the last to start, at 5:14 p.m., three minutes after Primoz Roglic. Departure at 4:59 p.m. for Thibaut Pinot.

Welcome to RMC Sport to follow live commentary on the time trial this Saturday of the 20th stage of the Tour of Italy. Of the 18.6 kilometers on the program, 7.3 will be on the slopes of Monte Lussari, at an average gradient of 12.1%.