Giro d’Italia stage 20 Live – Final GC battle on Monte Grappa double ascent

Thanks for joining us today. The GC may be all done and dusted, but there’s still another stage to come tomorrow, where the sprinters will battle it out for victory on the streets of Rome. And Tadej Pogačar will have a chance to take stock and reflect upon the many remarkable things he has achieved at this race. We’ll see you there!

Here’s what Pogačar had to say at the finish:

“Rui [Oliveira] and [Sebastian] Molano did a great job until the first climb then Vegard [Stake Laengen] and Mikkel [Bjerg] set a really good pace on the first part of the climb, which I was really happy with.

“We made a really good pace through the top and downhill we took no risks. Then the uphill we set as we said it in the meeting. It was perfect and I was so happy that I had a good gap on the top and I didn’t need to go full gas on the downhill.

“We wanted the pink jersey from stage 2 – a lot of obligations every day, a lot of things to do all day – it just goes to show today is another test before summer to see how it is. I wanted to finish the Giro with good mentality and good shape and I think I achieved that.

“I cannot describe how it was feeling with all the fans on the climb.

“I never been in Rome before, but I’m going to enjoy it for sure.”

Here’s today’s top ten in full:

1 Tadej Pogačar in 4-58-23

2 Valentin Paret-Peintre at 2-07

3 Dani Martínez

4 Antonio Tiberi

5 Einer Rubio

6 Giulio Pellizzari

7 Geraint Thomas

8 Ben O’Connor all at same time

9 Michael Storer at 2-31

10 Rafał Majka at 3-08

So that’s six stage wins for Tadej Pogačar at this Giro. That’s the most at any Grand Tour since Mark Cavendish at the 2009 Tour de France, and at any Giro since Alessandro Petacchi in 2004.

Actually Valentin Paret-Paintre was the Decathlon rider who sprinted for second-place, his teammate O’Connor finishing safely behind him to seal fourth place overall.

Now comes Thymen Arensman, who appears to have done enough to defend his sixth place. 

O’Connor wins the sprint for second, with Dani Martínez in third.

Ben O’Connor is leading them home, and launches the sprint for second from far.

Now at last comes the next group…