Overall leader Jonas Vingegaard launched an attack during the tough final climb to clinch victory in Saturday’s stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia.
It ensures the 29-year-old from Denmark will win the race as long as he safely finishes Sunday’s final stage in Rome and become just the eighth man to complete the triple crown of road cycling’s three-week showpieces.
The two-time Tour de France winner, who also won last year’s Vuelta a Espana, is making his first appearance in the Giro.
He started the penultimate stage covering 200km from Gemona del Friuli to Piancavallo four minutes three seconds ahead of second-placed Felix Gall of Austria in the general classification.
Vingegaard was happy to ride safely in the peloton for the first two-thirds of the stage between two Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates, before launching his attack in the final 10km.
Gall tried to chase him down during the attack, but the Dane pulled more than a minute ahead going into the final 5km to secure a sensational solo victory, one minute 15 seconds ahead of second-placed Gall with local favourite Giulio Ciccone completing the podium.
