The queen stage of the Giro takes Almeida off the hook and leaves the pink jersey for the Thomas-Roglic duel

As planned, as it was sung, the queen stage brought a mini-maxi outcome after a journey of infinite wear. Mini in the distance and maximum in the consequences. Mini because the first three are still in a handkerchief. Maxi because between them, so evenly matched, a few seconds seem like a huge difference.

Mini because the general, still provisional until the Saturday time trial, was played in the last kilometer and a half of the 183 that consisted of a route with five climbs, five executioners green grass, white snow. Three of them of the first category with the terrible Tres Cimas del Lavaredo in the penultimate breath, still alive, but almost a death rattle of men, of heroes. Maxi because Joao Almeida seems eliminated from a tripartite fight that now only concerns the Geraint Thomas-Primoz Roglic duo.

In a kilometer and a half, meter more, meter less, a world fit. well two. The first concerned Derek Gee and Santiago Buitrago, for the stage win. The second concerned Thomas, Roglic and Almeida in the fight for the general. The Canadian, the most combative man in the race, from which he will leave without a partial victory, and the Colombian were the last survivors of a long breakaway of 15 men. With a kilometer and a half to go (not yet for the peloton of illustrious riders, which was slipping by the minute), Buitrago caught up with an agonizing Gee. Then he finished him off.

The two had already reached the finish line, the Canadian from Israel 51 seconds behind the Bahraini from Bogota, when, at 1,300 meters from the finish of the mini (by number)-maxi (by quality) group of chosen ones, Almeida demarcated. He looked firm. He was caught. Roglic attacked. Thomas stuck to him. Almeida suffered and stayed. It seemed doomed. But he rejoined. He hadn’t said his last word.

But he had said it between gasps.. Then Thomas flew and Roglic was delayed. The die was cast. Cast? There was nothing definitive, because the Slovenian counterattacked and had the guts and strength to distance him by three seconds. He was fourth at 1:46 behind Buitrago, the same time as Magnus Cort, third, also a survivor of the initial breakaway. Thomas was fifth at 1:49. Almeida, sixth at 2:09.

The Monte Lussari time trial, seven kilometers nearly horizontal and eight decidedly vertical, will fire the final bullet. Roglic is 26 seconds behind the pink Thomas. Almeida, 59. Away. Besides, he’s not as good a specialist as they are and has slacked off two days in a row. Thomas or Roglic. Bets are admitted.

.