After spending most of the penultimate stage in the break, the Quick-Step Floors rider has all but won the maglia ciclamino.
Elia Viviani was a man on a mission at the start of stage 20 (Susa – Cervinia, 214 kilometers): to book a place in the escape and collect maximum points at the two intermediate sprints placed just before the first classified climb of the day, the 16km-long Tsecone. Part of a 28-man group who carved out a six-minute advantage just 50 kilometers into the race, Viviani brought his fair share of pulls at the front, before skipping clear in Samone and Verres respectively and land a total of 20 points.
The stage winner emerged from that move later in the stage, after Mikel Nieve (Mitchelton-Scott) dropped all his companions and claimed a solo win on the first-category Cervinia, host of a stage finish at the Giro d'Italia for the fourth time. Behind the escapees, the GC favourites stayed together despite several skirmishes, and Chris Froome (Team Sky) retained the lead in the overall ahead of the final day.
On Sunday, the riders will line out in Rome – where the Corsa Rosa will conclude for just the fourth time in history – for a flat and fast 155km stage that will see the fast men of the peloton take center stage. Most successful rider of the year, Elia Viviani will carry a 73-point advantage over his closest rival in the maglia ciclamino classification, which he leads since the opening weekend.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele/ Getty Images
