Not a lacking breakaway: Hansen, Rebellin, Nordhaug, Voeckler, Cummings.

Some of the roads we had to navigate on this stage were treacherous. I have had a few incidents with crashes, so the whole team kept me at the front as we winded through the extremely thin roads of the city.

The last climb was incredibly steep! FDJ led it through for Demare. I was a few wheels back. Have to be wary not to miss splits over the top!

One person who did miss the split was Alejandro Valverde! Quickly Katusha used up their remaining men to pace, then Cannondale hit the front for Sagan. But Valverde managed to grab on to the back end anyway. Meanwhile we stayed near the front.

Janier was keeping me out front and out of trouble, but before I knew it, there was space behind us!

The peloton just stopped! All the sprinters teams sat back, I assume expecting the favorite's teams work to close the gap, but none of the contenders had teammates left, and the gap shot out to 30 seconds.

Meanwhile, Lars Peter Nordhaug attacked the break, and they were all too tired to keep the pace line. I approached them as Janier was relieved on his protecting duties. I wasn't planning on using effort on this stage, but damned sure if I was going to let the opportunity by me!

Purito was forced to come to the front, with no Katusha teammates besides Kristoff still in the group.

But rather than pace everyone with him, Purito attacked, not wanting to bring anyone else closer to me.

I swept past the breakaway and had Nordhaug in my sights. I could tell by the rocking of his shoulders he didn't have much left. I was coming.

Finally Cannondale realized that the stage win was in jeopardy, but their relayers were gassed. All they could manage was a few empty pulls from Sabatini.

We had 45 seconds! I could feel the victory in my hands as I closed the gap to 10 seconds. Nearly 1 km to go.

I shot past him under the red kite, this is it, he couldn't follow!

I sprinted up to the line...

A huge 2nd victory in this year's Giro d'Italia, and a surprising one at that! It was worth the effort!

The pack came home at 1'02'' led by Kristoff. They had previously caught Purito in the run in.

I made up some time on the podium, but I'll probably lose chunks in the mountain TT, so I'm not going to worry about that, only celebrate the stage!

I make up some points in the points classification, but I can't see myself taking enough to pass Purito in the upcoming mountains stages. Tomorrow is a big mountain stage. My legs aren't too tired from today, but I still think I'll hang on and not make a move tomorrow. See you then!

Jesus Christ. Another mountain top finish!

3 man breakaway got away early.

On the penultimate climb, attacks flew off like rain from the sky.

And they hit the umbrella of Katusha pretty easily.

All the favorites grabbed their protectors like a rodeo as we went into the final climb. Nibali had Fuglsang. Valverde had Intxausti. I had Acevedo. Meanwhiel Uran ahs attacked away!

Attack from Contador that the others follow! He has been obscure the whole race but now he wants to play with the big boys again!

Nibali counters. I just stayed behind and paced.

And in a turn of terrific work, he managed to bring me up without extending an effort!

Gigantic attack by Rodriguez, that even Valverde and Nibali cannot respond to!

Suddenly Betancur appeared with us. Rodriguez had single handedly caught the break and Uran.

Valverde does the pacing as the groups thin back down. break members and Betancur dropped. I was starting to feel it tough. The constant high pace wasn't fitting my strengths at the moment.

Somehow we managed to get them back. Contador fell off. I don't know if the Tour is his goal this year, but otherwise he is having some problems. I was really hurting now.

One more surge of pace, and I was wiped out.

Purito opened up the sprint, but he went to early, and Nibali pulled through on the inside!

And Nibali gets his first stage of the race! I come in 4th (again), 30 seconds behind.

The Mountain TT is tomorrow. I'm ready.

Tejay Van Garderen set the first staple best time.

But Janier smashed it, what a ride!

I set off. My legs felt amazing. Time to kill the course and make back time I lost in the flat TT!

And I had a spectacular ride! I even passed Uran! 1'45'' ahead of Janier!

Valverde came through a whole 1'46'' down in 3rd place! How the hell?

And it wasn't a fluke ride by Piti! Nibali came home in 2nd, 1'20'' behind!

5th for Purito, 1 second down on Valverde, and 1'47'' on me, the stage winner. What a final week I've had! Take that haters who say I can't recover!

With this stage, I move right back into the fight for the podium! Though it will be difficult to gain any time on the big 3 on the Zoncolan, I have a fighting chance!

Tomorrow is the last challenge! I'll o my best!

The final battle of the Giro finishes on the toughest climb of the race : Monte Zoncolan. Everyone needs to give everything they have left here.

4 man breakaway attacked early. Unfortunately for them, due to the simple importance of the stage for the GC contenders, they would likely be doomed to irrelevancy.

All climbs of this stage featured very thin roads, so even very early on we kept the whole team near the front in case anything were to happen.

4 more outsiders joined the breakaway after the first climb of the day.

Staying near the front paid of, as over the top the pack stretched out and tons of riders were dropped inadvertently.

Katusha took up the front as the climb approached.

That's the irrelevance. Katusha was catching the break, and I was on Janier's wheel.

Rodriguez went right to the front on the tiny roads. But Janier was able to bridge up so I didn't lose the wheel. Riders cracked everywhere!

Until Purito attacked round a hairpin. Nibali went to the front.

And the charge completely destroyed the rest of the peloton. Pozzovivo had to accelerated to latch on. I followed with Uran. Janier finally couldn't hold on.

Purito got a big gap. Unfortunately Pozzovivo and Uran cracked, leaving a gap between me and the Nibali/Valverde pair. Not a good sign. I had to not over extend myself.

The crowds were lining the sides of the roads as Nibali attacked Valverde with a viscous turn of pace! But I was almost on with 3 km to go.

Piti responded but couldn't handle Nibali anymore, and I caught him going into 1 of 3 tunnels on course! I didn't have a lot left, but I had paced myself. I only needed a few seconds to pass him on GC!

Purito shot out of the tunnel and under the 1 km to go banner, and the next one out was me. I had paced myself perfectly! I had nearly nothing left but I was so close to cracking both of the stronger riders!

One last sprint. Valverde had recovered a little, but I gained second by second!

A violent final dig. My legs were throbbing, my I just used my rapid pulse as I guide to pedal faster. I was almost at Rodriguez going up to the line.

And Joaquin Rodriguez wins the final mountain stage of the Giro d'Italia on top of Monte Zoncolan! What a way to assert his dominance of this GT!

I brought my points jersey through the line 11 seconds after. Amazing ride in my opinion. But the first thing I did was turn back, I needed to see the clock.

Valverde and Nibali came across together... at 33 seconds. Including the time bonuses, I did it! I passed Valverde for 3rd place!

Pozzovivo grabbed 5th ahead of Uran. Pozzo hasn't had a sparkling race as Betancur was the team leader for most of it, but he comes up big here. Bringing Peraud, Betancur and Pozzovivo turned out to be a bad idea for AG2R, as they only get 8th, 9th and 10th for it in the end.

Next was a Contador, another disappointment finishing at 1'41''. Looks like 6th place in GC. Rolland finished after.

And the most important member of Garmin-Sharp finished 9th: Janier Acevedo. Without him my Giro would have been a complete failure.

10th-19th places finished very close together, forming what could maybe be know as a peloton, if everyone wasn't a few second apart.