Heavy, gruesome, murderous… In terms of hyperbole, the third week in the Giro traditionally scores well. However, the fear of such a closing week often paralyzes the price for two weeks. But sometimes, just sometimes, it’s all worth it. 5 years ago we witnessed a phenomenal pink breakdown, an equally legendary solo and also an “old granny” downhill.
stageThe 101st edition of the Tour of Italy had presented itself as a duel of the titans. In 2018, the two best Tour riders of that time came to the ‘Grande Partenza’ in Israel: defending champion Tom Dumoulin and four-time Tour winner Chris Froome. A year earlier they divided the three big rounds among themselves. Now they had both made it into their heads to complete the double Giro-Tour, unseen since Marco Pantani in 1998.
So starting in the Tour of Italy. But anyone who sat licking their teeth in front of the television that May was somewhat disappointed. Tom Dumoulin took the pink jersey in the opening time trial through the holy streets of Jerusalem, but then had to acknowledge his superior day after day in a zipper of climbing talent.
It was even more disastrous for Chris Froome. Halfway through, the four-time Tour winner was 12th, more than 3 minutes from the pink. A short-lived flare-up on the flanks of Monte Zoncolan was canceled out a day later. The Briton received, on his 33rd birthday, a new one and a half minute blow to the ears.
The big favorites Dumoulin and Froome entered the final rest day 2 and 5 minutes from the pink respectively. Talk about a fizzle.
Chris Froome and Tom Dumoulin started the 2018 Giro as top favourites.
The seemingly sovereign prince
Who was king then? A debutant in Italy, yes, but one with many letters of nobility: the young British race climber Simon Yates. For two weeks, the most talented half of the Yates twins ruled every inclined hectometre.
In the 6th stage towards Mount Etna, he gave the stage victory to his teammate Esteban Chaves. But with the pink jersey around his shoulders, he managed to win the 9th, 11th and 15th stages. On the last day of rest, the Giro therefore seemed to be in a fixed fold. The hardest part was yet to come. A final week made to turn dreams into nightmares.
First of all, a long time trial followed in which reigning world champion Tom Dumoulin nibbled on his backlog. And that devilish Chris Froome also seemed to have found a better set of legs again. Fortunately for Yates, all that remained was what he excelled at: mountains, lots of mountains.
Simon Yates (r) awards his teammate Esteban Chaves the stage victory on Mount Etna.
But in the first of a triptych of Alpine rides, what no one had expected happened: Simon Yates’s armor showed cracks for the first time. And worse than the 28 seconds lost, the seasoned sharks Froome and Dumoulin had smelled blood.
Chris Froome in particular sounded combative a day later. He had to go to war. And for that, the second Alpine stage towards Bardonecchia seemed perfectly planned.
Monumental breakdown on African roads
The plan of Froome and his Team Sky? Set course as early as possible.
Because on the menu towards Bardonecchia was the legendary Colle delle Finestre; almost 20 kilometers of executioner work towards the Cima Coppi, the highest point in the Giro. And to top it off, the second half of the ascent is on unpaved roads.
At the foot of that Finestre, with more than 90 kilometers to go, the Sky train began their performance. And not much later, the unthinkable happened. For two weeks, Simon Yates seemed on his way to be crowned in Rome. Until now, a ‘jour sans’, completely emptied after 13 days in pink. And as the Romans knew long ago: number 13 brings bad luck.
The final balance for Yates after his off day: a loss of 38 minutes and 51 seconds, from 1 to 18 in the standings. Rarely has a breakdown been so spectacular.
The Finestre reminded me of the roads in Africa
Nice for Froome, but behind the Sky brigade a Dutchman was laughing up his sleeve. As 2nd in the standings, Dumoulin suddenly came virtually in pink. Chris Froome knew what to do with 3 minutes behind. And so he started early.
The moment the riders entered the unpaved section of the Finestre, the insane phase of the Sky plan began. With more than 80 kilometers on the counter, Froome accelerated. No one could, or would, follow this suicide attempt. Second by second, the Briton raced away from his competition on the dirt track. “The Finestre reminded me of the roads in Africa”, the native Kenyan would say afterwards.
Pink jersey Simon Yates struggles his way on the Finestre.
“He fell like an old granny”
Froome rounded the top of the Finestre with a small lead over a group of pursuers led by Dumoulin. A difficult job awaited the Briton, because although some climbing followed, the road was still largely downhill and ‘false flat’ up. Terrain where a group has a big advantage. At least if there is cooperation…
The chasing company of Tom Dumoulin: the bickering Miguel Angel Lopez and Richard Carapaz for the youth jersey, and teammates Thibaut Pinot and Sebastien Reichenbach.
The first two refused any head work if the other did not do the same, and as a result remained in a ‘Mexican Standoff’ for two hours. Pinot was mainly concerned with the third podium place and fully counted on his teammate Reichenbach, who therefore became Dumoulin’s only companion. Although companion might be the wrong word…
Tom Dumoulin with “old granny” Reichenbach and the rest of the colorful gang in his wheel
Because strangely enough, Froome gained most of his lead in the descents, where he was known in the peloton for years as someone you don’t want to be in the wheel on downhills.
Dumoulin, himself an excellent descender, stated afterwards that he always had to wait for his only ‘helper’ Reichenbach, who apparently had little knowledge of the descent as a Swiss. Perhaps the reason why he didn’t become an alpine skier. “He descended like an old grandmother,” Dumoulin would later record. A statement for eternity.
Because because of that waiting, the Dutchman saw precious seconds, or even minutes, fly away just like that. A “terrible mistake” that he still regrets to this day. What could have been…
Froome completes the trilogy
It’s no use crying over spilled milk. An unleashed Froome gradually put Dumoulin and company behind by more than 3 minutes. And even on the final climb, the Jafferau, the Brit barely lost his bonus.
After a phenomenal 80km solo, Froome was allowed to take over the pink jersey from his sunken compatriot, narrowly 40 seconds ahead of Dumoulin, with one mountain stage still to come.
But a day later everyone clearly still felt the torture towards Bardonecchia in their legs. The last Alpine stage became a pink measure for nothing.
Chris Froome rode into Rome as imperator after three mixed weeks. The ride over the Finestre made him an overall winner in all three Grand Tours and remains, for now, his very last victory in cycling. But what kind.
Chris Froome with his ‘Trofeo Senza Fine’.
Dumoulin finished the Giro in second place, a place he would occupy again two months later in Paris. Not a successor to Pantani, but still an impressive double.
By the way, the last podium spot in Rome went to bicker Lopez, and not to Thibaut Pinot. Yates’ slump may have been great, but I can do better, the Frenchman must have thought a day later. In the so-called ‘bus’, no less than 45 minutes after stage winner Mikel Nieve, Pinot crossed the line. Road stage.
And Reichenbach? He remained saddled with the eternal reputation of a wet mop.
All thanks to a legendary stage over the Colle delle Finestre.
Today, 5 years later, we have seen even less battle for the pink. But that provisional yawn without end on the way to the ‘Trofeo Senza Fine’ can just bring the most unexpected plot twists. The killer final week is therefore once again made perfect for it.
The only question that remains is who will be the Froome on duty?
