Astana's Lopez holds white jersey in Stage 16 of Giro d'Italia

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - The Giro d'Italia-2018 is back into the third and the last week of the race after the final rest day. Today, a tough 34,2-km-long individual time trial has been held between Trento and Rovereto. It was mostly flat race against time perfectly suited to the true TT specialists, Kazinform has learnt from the official website. 

For Astana Pro Team leaders, Miguel Angel Lopez and Pello Bilbao it was a day to minimize lose to the biggest TT riders and to save their position in the general classification of the Giro d'Italia.

Miguel Angel Lopez tried to do his best on a distance which did not suit too much his characteristics. He lost time to Tom Dumoulin, Chris Froome and Simon Yates, but won some important seconds to Thibaut Pinot, George Bennett and, the most important, to his direct rival in the battle for the white jersey Richard Carapaz. After today's stage 16 Astana's leader moved down to 7th place in the general classification, but extended his lead in the best young rider classification.

"Honestly, I did all I could today. I tried to do a good race and thought it will be enough to gain some more time on Carapaz and not to lose too much from other rivals. Yeah, I lost a bit more than I expected, but I don't see any tragedy in it. The final three hard mountain stages are coming and I have to attack there to move up in the overall. I am happy to stay in the white jersey and since now I am preparing for the decisive moments of this Giro d'Italia," explained Miguel Angel Lopez.

Pello Bilbao did a very impressive time trial, finishing with 23rd time and losing 1 minute 40 seconds to the stage winner Rohan Dennis. This result allowed Bilbao to move up to one position to 8th place in the general classification.

Thus, after the individual time trial of stage 16 the Britton Simon Yates has saved his overall lead with just 56 seconds to the Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin, second in the GC. The Italian Domenico Pozzovivo holds the third position, 3 minutes 11 seconds behind the leader. Miguel Angel Lopez is 7th, 5 minutes 37 seconds far from Yates, Pello Bilbao is 8th, +6.02.

In the white jersey classification Lopez holds a 30-second lead over Richard Carapaz.

Stage 17 will be held tomorrow: 155 km from Riva del Garda to Iseo.