Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 20: Saint Vincent → Sestriere, 199 km
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Alberto Contador acknowledges the crowd before the final mountain stage. Q: What did you think of the support you recieved form the Italian fans? A: For the public, obviously, unqualified thanks for the affection that they have given me. I can say, and it's the truth, that they are the reason that I'm here at the Giro d'Italia. I'm not here to add the Giro d'Italia to my palmares, but for the love that Italy has given me. As for Fabio, what mark can I give him? I can give him ten out of ten. I think that he has been a rider who has had moments of crisis when he has suffered terribly, and he has overcome them to finish 2nd in GC, with 2 stage wins, and the young riders jersey. What more could you ask?		share this photo
Fabio Aru was in good spirits after rebounding yesterday with a stage win		share this photo
Rollout from Saint Vincent		share this photo
Once again Astana had strength in numbers before the final two big climbs. Alberto Contador with only one domestique left.		share this photo
The GC contenders on Colle delle Finestre (18.5 km, avg 9.2 %, max14 %) before the attacks started		share this photo
Fans waiting at the top of Colle delle Finestre, the Cima Coppi (highest point of this year's race)		share this photo
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) at the front of the race about to be joined by Mikel Landa (Astana)		share this photo
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) and Mikel Landa (Astana) on the dirt portion of Colle delle Finestre		share this photo
Colle delle Finestre panoramic		share this photo
The dotted line of fans at the top of Colle delle Finestre waiting for Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) and Mikel Landa (Astana) to arrive		share this photo
Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha) and Mikel Landa (Astana)		share this photo
Followed 20s later by Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin), Rigoberto Uran (Etixx - Quick Step) and Fabio Aru (Astana)		share this photo
Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin), Rigoberto Uran (Etixx - Quick Step) and Fabio Aru (Astana)		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha)		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana), Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha)		share this photo
35s later Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin), Rigoberto Uran (Etixx - Quick Step)		share this photo
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4s later Fabio Aru (Astana)		share this photo
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Fabio Aru and the crowd at the top		share this photo
Alberto Contador was dropped is already 1:30 back		share this photo
Alberto Contador was using the entire road at times. Q: What happened on the Colle delle Finestre? A: It was a stage during which I had to keep close tabs on my rivals, analyse the situation and I knew that I had a large time cushion, I knew the final part, I knew that I stay calm and not suffer a hunger knock, and luckily I was able to keep the jersey. I was dehydrated. It sounds unlikely because it wasn't excessively hot, but this morning when I got up, I was underweight as a result of such a demanding stage yesterday. I didn't give it much thought, and I drank throughout the stage, but perhaps not as much as I should have, and I think it was a question of dehydration, not of hunger or food. I was never afraid of losing the the Giro d'Italia. Perhaps it was a self-control mechanism, because if you think that you might lose, then you think you have to close the gap in a kilometre, and then you are going to have a really bad crisis. I wanted to stay calm, I didn't want to push more than necessary on the descent. I knew that the important thing was a drop onto a bigger cog to keep a good cadence to the finish, and it went pretty well for me.		share this photo
A great perspective of the climb		share this photo
6 km to go and Tanel Kangert (Astana) Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) are several minutes back on Sestriere		share this photo
Mikel Landa (Astana) driving the pace for Fabio Aru (Astana) at the front of the race on the cat 3 Sestriere (9.2 km, avg 5.4 %, max 9 %) summit finish		share this photo
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Fabio Aru (Astana) attacks on Sestriere with several km to go		share this photo
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Once again, Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) put in another gritty performance, 2nd on the road		share this photo
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) was almost interfered with by a fan		share this photo
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Fabo Aru (Astana) on his way to consecutive mountain stage wins		share this photo
Back from the dead just several days again, Fabio Aru (Astana) claims another mountain stage win this time at Sestriere		share this photo
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Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) was 2nd to Aru for the second straight day, + 18s today		share this photo
Ryder Hesjedal (Cannondale - Garmin) moved up to 5th overall		share this photo
3rd Rigoberto Uran (Etixx - Quick Step) followed by Mikel Landa (Astana)		share this photo
6th Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) + 2:25		share this photo
Not his best performance, but he had time to spare as he still won the overall by 2 minutes.		share this photo
Proud Sardinian Fabio Aru		share this photo
Alberto Contador celebrates with his boss Oleg Tinkov		share this photo
Two mountain stage wins, 2nd overall, best young rider, part of the Astana team win... not bad for 24 year old Fabio Aru (Astana)		share this photo
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) knows he's wrapped up the overall win with a ceremonial final stage remaining		share this photo
Q: Was the Giro d'Italia harder than you anticipated? A: The Giro d'Italia has been very, very demanidng. I knew it would be: the uphill finishes haven't had very high gradients, and for that reason some might have had the impression that the Giro wasn't too demanding, but the metres of climbing build up stage after stage, and every stage was high frantic as we chased down breakaways, and that made for a very fast race, and it has been a Giro of a great deal of wear and tear, much more than I would have liked. But when I decided to ride the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, I knew I'd use a lot of energy in the Giro d'Italia. Now it's a moment to start to rest and recover and much as possible, starting tonight, and I'm thinking of being as good as I can be at the Tour.		share this photo
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When you spring champagne as often as Alberto Contador does, you get pretty good at it		share this photo
Giro d'Italia (2015) Photos; Stage 20: Saint Vincent → Sestriere, 199 km
« Stage 19 photos	return to: « Giro d'Italia 2015 Dashboard  |  Giro d'Italia (2015) photo gallery	Stage 21 photos »