So this started yesterday - defending champion Tom Dumoulin won Stage 1, which was a time trial.

 

This still isn't available on ITV :( I'll be updating this thread as much as possible though!

Shame not to see this live on ITV.

 

Anyway Simon Yates has moved up to third after stage 4 with overall leader Rogan Dennis still in the lead.

Enrico Battaglin has won stage five with Rohan Dennis still in the lead.

Simon Yates has taken over the overall lead as Sam Bennett won Stage 7.

Such a close battle between Chris Froome and Simon Yates for the stage win yesterday! Froome took the stage (his first ever Giro stage win) and Yates came second, adding a further 31 seconds to his lead over Tom Dumoulin.

 

The current standings as of yesterday:

 

1. Simon Yates - 61:19:51

2. Tom Dumoulin - 1:24

3. Domenico Pozzovivo - 1:37

4. Thibaut Pinot - 1:46

5. Christopher Froome - 3:10

6. Angel Lopez Miguel - 3:42

7. Richard Carapaz - 3:56

8. George Bennett - 4:04

9. Pello Bilbao - 4:29

10. Patrick Konrad - 4:43

 

Yates mentioned the other day that he would need a 3 minute lead over Dumoulin going into the time trial on Tuesday, meaning would would need a minute and a half today as tomorrow is a rest day.

This is a great race for Yates! After keeping the Jersey after the Time Trial he's certainly got a good chance of keeping it to Rome.

How things have changed! As of yesterday, Yates was ahead of Dumoulin by about half a minute but today Yates is currently 16 minutes behind Froome on stage 19! :o If he wins, he will become the first British rider to win the Giro and the seventh to win all three Grand Tours.

Stunning that Froome now has a 40 second lead at the end of Stage 19.

So Froome has held the maglia rosa after Stage 20 and will take home the Tour title in tomorrow's final stage in Rome. Crazy to think that this time last week he was basically out of contention but yet another example of him bring the greatest British cyclist of the decade :D

Great for Froome, what an incredible comeback!

Well congrats to Froome! Eek at Yates falling so far back, I do remember him doing similar on last year's Vuelta though. I do hope someone else gets a shot at this year's Tour, Froome seems unbeatable!