Tour of Italy: Bernal contains Caruso and gets closer to victory

Egan Bernal is only 30.3 kilometers away from his first victory in the Giro: the Colombian, powerfully helped by his team Ineos, contained the offensive of his runner-up, the Italian, Damiano Caruso, winner on Saturday of the 20th and penultimate stage in Alpe Motta (north). Faithful to his strategy since Wednesday and his day without Sega di Ala, Bernal has sought to preserve himself as long as possible. He followed in the wake of his teammates, the Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo then the Colombian Daniel Martinez who accompanied him until ... the last 800 meters. “The stage was very difficult but it went very well,” said the wearer of the pink jersey. “I am satisfied with the result. Two minutes early, it's a very good position ”.

️ The last thousand meters of a beautiful ride.

@CarusoDamiano wins the Stage 20.

️ Gli ultimi mille metri di una cavalcata bellissima.

@CarusoDamiano vince la Tappa 20.

Powered by @ supersapiensinc # Giropic.twitter.com / RrU9Vm4e4P

- Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 29, 2021

If Caruso ignited the race, to the great pleasure of the + tifosi + who came in numbers in the final ascent, he could only take 24 seconds to Bernal on the line.

To get closer to 1 min 59 sec in the standings, before the final time trial track of Senago, north of Milan, to the heart of the Lombard city, on flat roads, often straight lines.

But the Sicilian, stuck with victories (only two since his debut in 2009), had his heyday, albeit late, at the age of 33, for his fifth participation in the Giro.

So far, his best result in a grand tour was eighth place in the 2015 Tour of Italy (10th in the Tour de France last year).

The games seem to be over

“I thought about a thousand things in the last few meters before the finish line, all my sacrifices, my training and all the work of my teammates.

We rode in an exemplary manner today, Pello Bilbao in particular did an incredible job and played a fundamental role in this victory, ”said Caruso.

Teamwork proved to be essential in this high mountain stage with two passes over 2000 meters before the final climb.

Both for Caruso and for Romain Bardet, who started at the front with two teammates after the top of San Bernardino.

If their margin on Bernal's group has never exceeded fifty seconds, they were able to save their strength before finding themselves alone 6.5 kilometers from the summit.

At two kilometers, the Italian ended up leaving the French behind, fourth on the stage and now fifth in the standings after the decline of the Briton Hugh Carthy (7th). But, behind the first three, the gaps remain tight before the final time trial, an exercise in theory to the disadvantage of Bardet. For the pink jersey, except as sensational surprise as the reversal of the situation operated in the last Tour de France by the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the game seems to be over. In the first time trial on May 8 in Turin, Caruso took only 7 seconds from Bernal over 8.6 kilometers. But the Colombian, who recognizes counting the days ("at each stage, I tell myself, one less", he smiled), indicated that he had not been able to work the time trial as he did. would have liked during the preparation period.The reason ? "It hurts in this position."

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