Neither Carapaz nor Hindley looked for a knockout on the climb to the Castelmonte sanctuary even though the Olympic champion started twice in the last two kilometers.

The third man, the Spaniard Mikel Landa, also tried to grab a few seconds, without more success.

Compared to the final climb of 7.1 kilometers (at 7.8%) towards the sanctuary dedicated to the Black Madonna, the ascent of the Passo Fedaia on Saturday will be of a whole different dimension.

This historic ascent of the Giro suddenly straightens at Malga Ciapela, 5400 meters from the summit (11.2% average gradient), to reach the altitude of 2057 meters.

After two other great passes, the San Pellegrino and the legendary Pordoi (2239 m), the Fedaia represents the ideal terrain to provoke differences.

But, to what benefit?

Between Carapaz, in theory favored by the high altitude since he is used to training beyond 3000 meters, Hindley, decided to play his all, and Landa, the games are all the more open as None of them has so far managed to take the lead in the mountains.

Ineos leader Richard Carapaz still in pink at the end of the 19th stage of the Tour of Italy at the Castelmonte sanctuary, May 27, 2022 Luca Bettini AFP

Bouwman's second

Before this meeting, Bouwman seized the opportunity of a mid-mountain stage, passing through Slovenia, to pull off a masterstroke.

The Dutchman (28) took his second success since the start, after the 7th stage won in Potenza (south), and secured his blue jersey for best climber, except abandonment before Verona where the Giro will end with a against-the- shows 17.4 kilometers.

But, to sign the 32nd Dutch victory in a stage of the Giro - tied with Colombia - the rider of the Jumbo team had to negotiate a delicate final against his four breakaway companions.

To come out on top of the last corner, Bouwman followed his ideal trajectory, at the rope, even if it meant closing the door to the Swiss Mauro Schmid placed behind him.

Schmid, forced to shift, forced Andrea Vendrame into a "straight" which condemned the Italian from the AG2R Citroën team, supposed to be the fastest of the quintet.

Jumbo rider Koen Bouwman triumphs at the end of the 19th stage of the Giro at the Castelmonte sanctuary, May 27, 2022 Luca BETTINI AFP

"I knew the last corner, I had been warned but I did not expect it to be so tight", admitted the winner of the day.

"I had to go out in front. I didn't see what was happening behind me".

Vendrame, the unlucky of the day, had the merit of coming back to the leading group after being left behind in the tough Kolovrat (10.3 km at 9.2%), an unprecedented climb in the Slovenian forests, very close to Caporetto which was the site of a historic and unforeseen defeat for the Italians during the First World War.

So much so that Caporetto has become synonymous in Italian culture with unexpected discomfiture.

© 2022 AFP