“Chris Froome launched a devastating attack to win stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia and take the leader's pink jersey from fellow Briton Simon Yates.

Yates finished almost 39 minutes behind Team Sky's Froome, who attacked 80km from the finish in Bardonecchia.

Froome, 33, was fourth prior to Friday's 184km run from Venaria Reale. But, with two days remaining, he now has a 40-second lead over Tom Dumoulin as he attempts to become the first British man to win the Giro d'Italia.

The four-time Tour de France champion is also attempting to become only the seventh man to win all three Grand Tours, and just the third to win three in succession.

"I don't think I've ever attacked like that before on my own," he said.
…”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/w...amp/cycling/44258030

I'm not a Froome fan, but it was as epic as it is suspicious given the cloud of doping he's under. But it sure did light up the race. Equally stunning was Simon Yates total meltdown, losing 38 minutes on the stage.

I completely forgot about the Giro this year. I guess I all but missed it. Oh well.

It'll be something if Froome is able to win both the Giro and the Tour this year.

80 km solo breakaway , in those mountains and on those roads?
Love him or hate him that was the stuff of legends.

Silent

Chris Froome finished the penultimate stage of the Giro today with a 46” lead over Dumoulin, and a multi-minute lead over everyone else. He’s effectively won the Giro, because tomorrow’s stage is traditionally a champagne-sipping procession for the GC contenders.

You can bet that the doping tests will be rigorously applied to Froome. On to the Tour de France!

P. S. – here’s a good stage report:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/a...a-glory-tom-dumoulin

Another dynasty destined to stain our sport further...
So sad.
I should try to be more positive, but after 20 years in that industry it’s
Just the same ole same...
Lance did sell a lot of bikes for us at the shop over those years...

I hope the best for froooooommmmme! WADA is watching you sir.

No doubt his salbutamol scandal will leave a stain on his reputation. However, the ability to improve and recover over the course of 3 weeks is primarily the result of off season training, fat-adaptation and frankly, genetics (epi-genetics). All the doping in the world can't hold a candle to nutrition science and carbohydrate management during intense efforts. Yeah, he has asthma but I don't believe salbutamol alone was responsible for stage 19. Just as Armstrong brought high-cadence to the hills (and Froome has also adopted), Froome as well as others are proving burning fat (~> 1gm/min) is the way to go and maintain optimal power output with less carbohydrate onboarding (e.g., less blood devoted to digestive purposes). Just my theory...

Froome breakfast:
https://optimisingnutrition.co...akfast-of-champions/