00:00La Vuelta's final furlong, Pellizzari, mastered the penultimate mountage stage yesterday,
00:08while the two GC leaders effectively cancelled each other out. 50 seconds separate Vinergore
00:14and Almeida. Bayo de Lid's shortened 12k time trial makes meaningful gaps unlikely. Barring
00:22something incredible, Saturday will be the last chance to overthrow the Great Dane.
00:26Historically little to pick between Almeida and Viragor against the clock. Their last
00:31head-to-head was on the Tour de France. Almeida with the upper hand in Caen, seven seconds faster.
00:37A more devastating performance delivered on the 2023 Vuelta. Filippo Gana winning on the day,
00:44but UAE's man put 28 seconds on his Visma rival. Anything close to that would be headline worthy.
00:50The shorted 12km city route has the technical difficulty in the first 3k, then it's time
01:00to rev the engine and see if you can light up the clock. The GC's last place, but not least,
01:07Oskar Reesbeck, first down the ramp. Yet the Dutchman's compatriot, Dan Huller, set the early benchmark.
01:13That was under threat once Filippo Gana hit the road. The two-time world TT champion did not disappoint.
01:19An average of 56km to complete 12km in 13 minutes. The Piemonte Piston, the man to beat.
01:27Look at this speed of top Gana as he reaches the conclusion of this time trial. He absolutely
01:34obliterates the time of Dan Huller.
01:40I hope he's enough. If we cross the fingers, then if someone was more strong than me, I'd just say chapeau.
01:49Mas Pedersen struggled badly yesterday, but the green jersey better suited to Vallaudelid.
01:54A solid pace early on, but ultimately the Dane finished 20 seconds down,
01:59a fate shared by Remy Cavani, who, like many, lost time in the final third of the course.
02:10Two stage wins already, but could Juan Ayuso find the pace to dethrone the so far comfortable-looking Gana?
02:17Stefan Kuhn set the fastest time at the second intermediate point to throw his hat in the ring.
02:22Ayuso ended up 22 seconds down, but the Groupama rider was still in with a shout.
02:27Now he needs to really put the power in and he needs to find the same speed that Gana found.
02:34In the end, Kuhn found the clock against him as the Swiss finished 12 seconds down and third provisionally.
02:40He may be king of the mountains, but Jay Vine is equally adept against the clock.
02:52A TT podium finish on this year's Giro already, the Australian now targeting top spot.
02:58Quickest at the second time, check.
03:00Gana was lightning though in the finale, it was going to be tight.
03:0410 seconds to go, 150 meters, has Filippo Gana found more speed than Jay Vine into the finish line,
03:14it's going to be tight, he's just outside, one second.
03:22Time for the top 10 to stretch their legs, still with hopes of an overall podium finish,
03:26Chai Hindley set off, the Australian 36 seconds from current third place Tom Pidcock.
03:33Could anyone though threaten long-time leader Gana?
03:37Charles Almeida more interested in eating into the GC advantage of Vinegar.
03:42Hindley down 25 seconds at the second check,
03:45Pidcock holding steady with a chance to put time into his rival.
03:49While the top two were in their own battle, Vinegar and Almeida initially separated by just two seconds,
03:55by the second check Almeida added another, but no tour style panic for Visma.
04:01Pidcock outside the top 20 but happy to put three more seconds into Hindley,
04:05Vine in second and he looked to be joined by his UAE leader on the stage podium.
04:10Almeida now checking the clock as Viragor faltered the final third of the course.
04:19The red jersey is going to arrive, Jonas Wengergaard,
04:23the time of Almeida is 13.08. Let's see how much time he's going to ship to João Almeida,
04:29because he is going to lose some time, but it's only going to be a few seconds.
04:33Filippo Gana wins this individual time trial here in Valladolid and Jonas Wengergaard,
04:40he loses 10 seconds.
04:41I am satisfied and I'm still in the lead with two stages left, so now we have to focus on tomorrow
04:53and then the day after. It will be two hard days, but we need to keep the focus.
04:58Filippo Gana certainly likes a time trial in Valladolid, two years on from the first,
05:07the Italian second Vuelta stage win and ninth career Grand Tour success.
05:12Only the Tour de France missing from the 29-year-old Stella Palmares,
05:15yet an easier day in the saddle than the leader's chair.
05:18I think I suffered more in the last three hours in the off-sail compared to the bike.
05:24I'm really happy for today. This last week it started really well for us and it's not done,
05:30for sure. We have another day in front and we try to do all the best for us.
05:37Plenty came, but none could conquer the blistering time of Ineos' Azzurri Arrow.
05:42Vine just 60 seconds away with Almeida third and Oliveira meant a UAE trio in the top five.
05:50Vinegar remains in the red jersey, but pressure being applied.
05:53Almeida may curse the shorted track, one final mountain stage to overturn the 40-second gap.
06:01Two points grabbed by Mads Pedersen to add to his generous points jersey haul.
06:05The Dame with 79 points on Vinegar.
06:07Jay Vine in the polka dots for the 13th time this Vuelta.
06:13No changes mean he still holds 20 points on Vinegar.
06:19Giudo Pellizzari had the biggest moment of his career yesterday.
06:22Today the Italian remains fifth overall in white.
06:26The GC battle paused as Stage 19 gives the sprinters a last dance on the road.
06:36The 26th finish.
06:37B
