Sunday: TBD

"A stage victory is not more important than riding for GC but this is why I'm a bike rider."

- Thibault Pinot

"I killed myself today to do what I did. I will always be thankful to Adam (Yates), Bob (Jungels), Bauke (Mollema)!"

- Tom Dumoulin

"It's not won yet, but today was very important. Tom did what he had to do today. Normally, he can take back time. He recovered well, and had a good mental attitude. Tomorrow it's all in play."

- Luke Roberts, DS Sunweb

"I'll fight for the overall victory but Dumoulin probably remains the favorite. I also remember that Quintana won a time trial at the Route du Sud aheadd of Sylvain Chavanel last year, so he can defend himself. It's be a superb battle. Nobody is able to say who will win the Giro, and that's beautiful."

- Thibault Pinot

"Maybe it's not sufficient to win, but maybe it's just enough. Now we'll play all our cards flat out tomorrow."

- Nairo Quintana

The final TT start list.

Going to be the 1989 Tour de France battle Fignon/LeMond 

drama but with four instead.

Friday File: un hombre muy peligroso, Dolomites and 1988 Gavia

With a pointy stick from Didi the Devil.

Nairo Quintana took massive time from Tom Dumoulin to take the pink jersey by 38 seconds. Dumoulin may've floundered, which he did, but he still holds the upper card for Sunday's TT. A surging Thibault Pinot took advantage and duly attacked with 7 kilometres remaining pushing the power into his pedals. At the end, Pinot took 1:21 remains fourth overall, only 53 seconds from Quintana.

In the end;

my money's on T. B. to land on the podium

The Condor knew that the Frenchman is a major threat, un hombre muy peligroso - a very dangerous man. 

"There's a lot of pressure on our shoulders, our rivals are also really strong, but we've got the Maglia Rosa at the moment and we will try to defend it with honour. We've got a veteran group, we're consistent, experienced, and I trust my whole group of teammates to defend ourselves well tomorrow."

- Nairo Quintana

"Tomorrow is going to be a very hard stage. There's the Monte Grappa and then it's virtually a summit finish afterwards, so it's going to be a big day."

- Thibault Pinot

Mikel Landa

photo: Russ Ellis

The Dolomites captured from Gruber Images...

1988 Giro d'ltalia Gavia; a icy, snowy hell where grown men cried...

The forgotten story of Andy Hampsten's 1988 Giro win here

Taking the pressure off

An emotional Tejay van Garderen

The queen stage in the Dolomites was the absolutely perfect tonic for an 'ailing' Tejay van Garderen taking his first Grand Tour victory by edging out Mikel Landa in Ortisei. Thibault Pinot is one of the big winners today taking back 1 minute finishing third and now sits in fourth threatening for podium. The young riders classification white jersey changes shoulders to Adam Yates. He's riding so well and is 28 seconds ahead of Bob Jungels. Davide Formolo is a close third at 53 seconds that is turning into an exciting three way fight.

The Dolomites are beautiful.

Pressure off

Breaking through for Pierre Rolland

"At the end it was a question of courage. I caught the right moment. It's a huge relief."

Pierre Rolland scored a huge win for Cannondale-Drapac and for himself on stage 17 breaking away with five kilometres remaining. 

"I've waited for this moment for such a long time. In 2015 I finished second in a Tour de France stage, and last year was just a year to forget for me. I crashed twice in the Tour. It's been a long wait."

Athletic prowess again...

Matej Mohoric fueling, rides on the top tube... just normal stuff.

I love his emotional celebration.

Dumoulin takes a break, the Shark takes a bite

It was the call of the wild on today's queen stage for Tom Dumoulin. His lead is reduced with Nairo Quintana suddenly 31 seconds in close pursuit of the dazzling Dutchman. His slowdown certainly would've affected all mortals but as soon as he go back on his bike, you have to give him some credit to comeback and remain tenuously in the maglia rosa. Vincenzo Nibali became, finally, the first Italian to win a stage in this year's race. The shark edged out Mikel Landa at the finish with Quintana crossing in third, 12 seconds behind. 

"It's the victory of a complete rider. I had to be consistent from start to finis in a long and difficult stage. At the end I had to be an aggressive climber, a good downhill rider and a sprinter. There are more difficult stages to come but Dumoulin also has a time trial to his advantage in Milan."

- The Shark Nibali

In memory of Michele Scarponi

Mikel Landa climbs the Stelvio first winning the Cima Coppi 

and wears the maglia azzurra