Thomas is getting closer and closer to victory – team car brings down driver

Zoom Image

Primož Roglič (front) took three seconds off Geraint Thomas, but that was not enough for the turnaround in the overall standings

Photograph:

LUCA BETTINI / AFP

Professional cyclist Geraint Thomas can hope for his first triumph at the Giro d'Italia after the big exchange of blows in the Dolomites. On the queen stage of the 106th Tour of Italy, which was won by Colombian breakaway Santiago Buitrago, former Tour de France champion Thomas fended off all attacks on Friday during the extremely difficult climb up to the Three Peaks. He reached the finish line at an altitude of 2304 meters in fifth place, three seconds behind his rival Primož Roglič. As a result, Thomas goes into the decisive mountain time trial on Saturday with a lead of 26 seconds over the Slovenian.

The team car of the AG2R-Citroën team had caused an incident when it brought down the Spanish professional cyclist Carlos Verona. Verona, who rides for Movistar, was apparently touched on the rear wheel, but was able to continue the stage in the breakaway. He sustained a wound to his thigh. As the Italian TV channel RAI reported, the car had been excluded from the race.

Kämna, who could not keep up with the pace of Thomas and Roglič on the steep ramps with a gradient of up to 18 percent, lost a few seconds to his fiercest rivals after the 183-kilometer climb with five mountain classifications. So he had to let the French cycling star Thibaut Pinot and the Dutchman Thymen Arensman pass in the classification and is only eighth.

Kämna is one minute short of fifth place

However, the former junior time trial world champion could make up for the narrow deficits in his special discipline on Saturday on the penultimate stage. Eddie Dunbar from Ireland is just under a minute behind him in fifth place overall.

On Saturday, there are only 18.6 time trial kilometres, but the final climb to Monte Lussari is tough and will probably demand everything from the riders. On Sunday, meanwhile, the final stage with start and finish in Rome should be a matter for the sprinters.

kjo/dpa