Alberto Contador increased his
lead in the Giro d'Italia to more than five minutes on the 18th
stage Thursday - a seemingly impregnable lead with just three
really competitive stages to go.
The two-time Tour de France winner and 2008 Giro champ
staged a a well-timed attack on the leg's big climb, pouncing
after a fall by his two main rivals, Astana riders Mikel Landa
and Fabio Aru.
Contador rode by himself for most of the ascent and opened
up a significant gap from the other contenders, extending his
lead over Landa to 5 minutes, 15 seconds, with Aru third, 6:05
behind.
Former world champion Philippe Gilbert posted his second
victory in this year's race.
A member of an early breakaway, Gilbert required just over
four hours to complete the 170-kilometer (106-mile) leg from
Melide, Switzerland, to Verbania, which included one top
category climb shortly before the finish.
The Giro ends Monday with the 22nd stage, a flat run-in to
Milan where Contador is virtually certain to bag his second
title barring falls.
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