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  • Stage 19 Yates defeats but does not intimidate Bernal before the final fireworks

Although all the chronicles had been adorned with calls to the epic, with almost suicidal scenarios in which

Egan

Bernal could see his triumph in the Giro in favor of Simon Yates in danger

, common sense oriented the fight in another direction. The Colombian was going to have to defend the 'pink jersey' in the last mountain stage, because that is what a leader is obliged to do, but what was really at stake had more to do with the legacy that his triumph was going to leave in this Turn. If it was going to end up being an agonizing exercise of resistance, living on rents in a final of dwindling forces, or if its victory would be remembered as final from beginning to end, beyond a couple of days of difficulties.

Well,

Bernal demonstrated in Alpe Motta his champion stature

, his resounding return to the front line of world cycling, crushing all his opponents with the help of his Ineos, also a Simon Yates whose ambition was not reciprocated by his legs. The Briton was called to mount a great scramble from afar to put Ineos in check, but he did not have the necessary energy even to try. Instead, it was

Damiano Caruso

who tried it

, the eternal gregarious man to whom the withdrawal of Mikel Landa granted him gallons of leader

. A change of role that he has exercised brilliantly and that will have the double prize of occupying a step on the podium in Milan and marking the queen stage of the Giro on his record.

The final time trial remains, 30 kilometers,

but the cards are already on the table except for total fainting or falling. Bernal comes into the last station as

the race leader, 1:59 over Caruso and 3:23 over Yates.

Sufficient income so that none of them see their position in jeopardy or have any hope of making any progress. All the excitement will be concentrated in the positions that go

from fourth to eighth

(occupied, in this order, by

Vlasov, Bardet, Martínez, Carthy and Almeida

), which are separated by a minute and a half, from 7:07 and 8:50 by Bernal.

Foss and Dan Martin will complete the 'top10', with Bilbao (13th) as the best Spaniard.

This Saturday's stage was called to break in

San Bernardino

, the very long 24-kilometer pass with which the final fireworks began, which included two other first-class passes,

Spluga and Alpe Motta

. The Yates Bike Exchange maneuver was expected there, perhaps that of the Deceuninck de Almeida, but neither one nor the other arrived. Instead, it

was Bardet's DSM that struggled to pick up the pace.

Surprising movement that made sense as soon as the descent began and the French runner left with two companions.

But the truly unexpected came right after. Caruso is a veteran cyclist who has devoted his entire career to helping leaders like Landa and Nibali. Running second in this Giro seemed like a resounding success to defend on his part, as he had never seen himself in one like this. His conservatism was more than understandable. However, she saw the opportunity to increase her quest for her that it was.

Clinging to an excellent Pello Bilbao, he risked the descent of San Bernardino and connected with the DSM, leaving the peloton behind.

The scene became disturbing for the Ineos. Bernal had a 2:29 lead over the Italian before the start of the stage and giving him too much time was giving him wings for the time trial. The machinery went to work, with

Castroviejo

making a superb ascent (and descent) to Spluga. Arrived at the foot of Alpe Motta,

Daniel Felipe Martínez

took the head to keep under control the around 40 seconds that Caruso enjoyed, who was soon to lose Bardet's company.

Martínez was crushing all his rivals one by one, including Yates, without the brilliant pedal stroke of the last few days.

Also to Almeida, despite the fact that the Portuguese is a rock and he held on until he couldn't take it anymore.

In the absence of a kilometer and a half, Martínez and Bernal were already alone

.

It was the turn of the leader, who walked only the final 800 meters to show the rotundity of his triumph in this Giro.

24 seconds earlier, Caruso, carried by the 'tifosi', had achieved the victory of his life and secured his second place on the podium in Milan.

Full happiness for both of you.

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