As a lone wrestler and with plenty of time to check the situation, Dowsett was able to pass the dog without any problems and stretch a finger in the air in a gesture of victory.
- When you get older, you wonder when the last victory will come and when it will be time, you will appreciate it and can enjoy it all the more, says 32-year-old Dowsett who runs for Israel start up nation (founded in 2014), who now got his first victory in and Grand Tour.
When then subsequent cyclists came to the riot, the dog, who had an injured paw and linked on three legs, had been removed and the finish could be done safely.
The cluster was over 14 minutes behind on today's flat stage over 200 km, with a solid hill in the middle.
There, overall leader Joao Almeida had a pleasant day in his pink jersey.
Before today's stage, one of the total challengers, the British Simon Yates, dropped out of the competition after testing positive for covid-19.