The Telegraph

Egan Bernal extends lead on day of drama and intrigue at Giro d’Italia

Bernal wins shortened stage to increase his lead Caruso strikes as much as second total Yates tumbles down the standings Simon Yates’s group insisted on Monday evening that it was “not over but” and that their man was “nonetheless driving to win” the Giro d’Italia. However the 28-year-old BikeExchange rider suffered a crushing blow on Monday as he was dropped on a freezing chilly and moist sixteenth stage, which was gained in emphatic vogue by race chief Egan Bernal. Yates’ fellow Briton Hugh Carthy (EF Training-Nippo) had a greater day, shifting right into a podium place after crossing the road fifth in Cortina d’Ampezzo within the Italian Dolomites. The designated “queen” stage of the race needed to be shortened by organisers on the final minute as snow and sleet hit the mountain vary. As a substitute of a 212-kilometre route over three main mountain passes, the stage adopted a 153km route over just one main cross, the Giau. However that was greater than sufficient for Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers} to show as soon as once more he’s the person to beat on this race. The Colombian attacked excessive of the Giau, caught the final remaining breakaway rider, Antonio Pedrero (Movistar), and gained the stage brilliantly to place time into all of his rivals. Bernal even had the time and presence of thoughts to decelerate and take off his rain jacket earlier than the end, driving no-handed on moist slippery cobbles approaching the road – not a straightforward factor to do – in order that he might show the pink jersey. “I wished to placed on a present,” mentioned the 2019 Tour de France champion. “That is the kind of biking I like, robust levels like these. It is a threat however I believed in myself and the group believed in me.” Bernal completed 27 seconds forward of Romain Bardet (DSM), with Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) third, the Italian shifting up from third to second total at 2min 24sec. Carthy, in the meantime, jumped from fifth to 3rd, 3min 40sec again. Yates, who had been second total going into the stage, dropped to fifth total at 4mins20sec after shedding 2min37secs to Bernal on the stage. “His Giro isn’t over however in opposition to such a powerful Bernal like in the present day it’s going to be very arduous,” conceded BikeExchange normal supervisor Brent Copeland, who mentioned Yates simply had a “unhealthy day” fairly than an issue with fuelling or the chilly. “We’re driving to win however Bernal is driving effectively too. It’s not over and we’ll attempt to do one thing and make it a spectacular Giro.” The riders have a closing relaxation day on Tuesday. The Giro finishes in Milan on Sunday.