Alberto Contador had 38 seconds
sliced off his overall lead in the 19th stage of the Giro
d'Italia on Friday, although the Spaniard remained well on
course to claim the title Sunday.
Italian rival Fabio Aru won the mountain stage with a late
breakaway and moved back into second place overall, 4 minutes,
37 seconds behind Contador.
Aru's Astana teammate Mikel Landa dropped to third overall,
5:15 back, entering Saturday's final mountain stage before
Sunday's flat finish in Milan.
Aru required nearly 6 1/2 hours over the 236-kilometer
(147-mile) leg from Gravellona Toce to Cervinia, which
included three major climbs, including an uphill finish.
Ryder Hesjedal, the 2012 winner from Canada, finished
second, 28 seconds behind, and Rigoberto Uran, the Colombian
who finished second the last two years, crossed third, 1:10
back.
Contador and Landa were in a group of riders who finished
1:18 behind.
Contador showed little interest in chasing Aru, choosing to
follow Landa instead.
"I was marking Landa, my biggest rival," Contador said.
"Aru was the strongest today."
Contador may have also been saving his energy for
Saturday's penultimate stage, a 199-kilometer (124-mile) leg
from Saint-Vincent to Sestriere that includes a grueling climb
up a dirt road on Colle delle Finestre.
Contador has not won a stage in this year's race.
"I've been working for the pink jersey for five months,"
Contador said. "Winning a stage is secondary."
Contador is attempting to become the first rider since
Marco Pantani in 1998 to win the Giro and Tour de France in the
same year.
A two-time Tour champion, Contador won the Giro in 2008 and
was also triumphant in Milan in 2011 but was stripped of that
title for testing positive in the 2010 Tour.
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